The Ahom burial system.

The Moidams (also Maidams) in Assam are the burial system of the Ahom dynasty (13th to the 19th century). Out of the 386 Moidams explored so far, 90 royal burials at Charaideo are the best preserved, representative and most complex examples of this tradition.

The Moidams are set to be nominated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site this year. There are two categories of nominations - Cultural Site and Natural Site. The Moidams will be nominated in the category of Cultural Site!

India has 40 World Heritage Sites - 32 of them Cultural Sites, seven Natural Sites and a mixed site! Assam's Kaziranga National Park and Manas National Park are among the seven natural sites. Currently, there's no World Heritage Site in the category of Cultural Sites in the Northeast.

A total of 52 sites were in the rae and four of them were ready with dossiers but the PM hose the Charaideo Moidams.

A team of the UNESCO National Heritage Committee would visit Assam in September to inspect the Moidams and take a decision in March, next year. There could be immediate recognition, referral which entails clarification, deferral where things need to be rectified and rejection. Never before has an Indian nomination been rejected!

The Moidams enshrine the mortal remains of Ahom royalty - previously, those of the deceased with their paraphernalia were buried but after the 18th entury, the Ahom rulers adopted the Hindu method of cremation, entombing the cremated bones and ashes in a Moidam at Charaideo. The Moidams are highly venerated.

- Prasanta Mazumdar

My take

Another feather in the country's cap!

Tailpiece.

Got up at 6, the chores and was ready by a half past 10. 

Video talked with Ammu as she's leaving for Boston tomorrow afternoon. Two months passed on in a jiffy.

A quiet Sunday.