PM Modi Wants Everyone to Visit Charaideo Moidams

In this month’s episode of Mann Ki Baat, released on July 28, 2024, PM Modi has encouraged the Indian audience to visit Charaideo as their next vacation spot. PM said to the audience, “Charaideo Moidam becoming a World Heritage Site now will mean that more tourists will visit the place. You must include this site in your future travel plans. Have you heard the name Charaideo Moidam? If not, you will now hear this name again and again, and will tell others will great enthusiasm. Friends, the question arriving in your mind must be: “What exactly is Charaideo Moidam and why is it so special?” ‘Charaideo’ means a ‘shining city on the hills’. This was the first capital of the Ahom dynasty. The people of the Ahom dynasty traditionally kept the mortal remains of their ancestors and their valuables in the Moidam.”

Where is Charaideo?

Charaideo is a historic town in Assam, India, which was established by the first Ahom king, Chao Lung Siu-Ka-Pha, in 1253 CE. It is famous for its vast collection of ‘moidams’, the pyramid burial mounds of the ruling Ahom kings and members of the Ahom family. In 2023, PM Modi chose Charaideo to be India’s nomination to be a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and on July 26, 2024, it was finally recognised as one. It is the first site from Northeast India to be a part of the list in the cultural category and the 43rd property from India overall.

Speaking at a press briefing after the UNESCO announcement, the Union Minister of Culture and Tourism, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said that this historic recognition brings global attention to the unique 700-year-old mound burial system of the Ahom Kings at Charaideo, highlighting the rich cultural heritage of Assam and India.

Shekhawat also informed that India has successfully inscribed 13 World Heritage Properties in the last one decade, and is now standing at the 6th position globally for the most number of World Heritage Properties. The minister highlighted that the inclusion of Moidams in the UNESCO World Heritage List is a testament to their "outstanding universal value". The International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) highlighted the Moidams' exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition and their representation of significant stages in human history. This recognition underscores the efforts of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and the Assam government in preserving these historic treasures, said the Minister.

Shekhawat emphasized that it is crucial to promote the preservation of such monuments, which are abundant in India.