Day etched in golden letters, great gift to India: Shekhawat on 'Moidams' getting UNESCO tag

New Delhi: As India's Moidams received the UNESCO tag on Friday, Union Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said it is a day "etched in golden letters" and termed the inscription a "great gift" to the country.

He thanked UNESCO, the World Heritage Committee for understanding the outstanding universal value of 'Moidams' -- the centuries-old mound-burial system of the Ahom dynasty in Assam.

'Moidams' was on Friday included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, making it the first cultural property from the Northeast to get the coveted tag.

The decision was taken during the ongoing 46th session of the World Heritage Committee (WHC) being held in India.

"It is a day etched in golden letters," Shekhawat said at the session surrounded by members of the Indian delegation.

The other two UNESCO sites in Assam -- Kaziranga National Park and Manas Wildlife Sanctuary -- were added to the World Heritage List in 1985.

Shekhawat hailed the "close cooperation" between the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and the state's archaeology department which worked on this site.

In his address, he termed the inscription a "great gift to India," adding the site was put in the Tentative List of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 2014.

Videos of the 'moidams' were played on big screens carrying a caption 'Congratulations India'.

Shekhawat later also addressed a press conference and shared a long post with photos and a video of the UNESCO-recognised 'necropolis' in Assam.

The site is partly under the ASI and partly under the state administration.

"In a moment of immense pride for India, Assam's Moidams have been inscribed as the 43rd UNESCO World Heritage Site. 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 Bharat," he posted on X.

The journey of Moidams towards the recognition was spearheaded by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who nominated ancient structures as India's official entry in 2023.

The nomination underscores the cultural and historical significance of the Moidams, making them the first cultural heritage site and the third overall site from the Northeast to be inscribed on the World Heritage List, he wrote.

"The Moidams at Charaideo, often referred to as the 'Pyramids of India', are a series of grand, earthen mounds that serve as the burial sites for the Ahom royalty. These structures date back to the 13th century and showcase the intricate funerary practices and cosmological beliefs of the Tai-Ahom people.

"The Moidams are characterised by their hemispherical shape, brick structures, and octagonal boundary walls with arched gateways. The vaults contain the remains of the royals along with grave goods, symbolizing their stature and reverence in society," the culture and tourism minister added in his post.

"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," he said.

Shekhwat said visiting Charaideo offers a glimpse into the region's opulent history and the grandeur of the Ahom dynasty. "Tourists can marvel at the architectural brilliance and the meticulous preservation efforts that have kept these structures intact," he wrote.

The Moidams' recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage Site serves as a reminder of the importance of "conserving our cultural heritage for future generations," he said.

Tim Curtis, Director, UNESCO South Asia Regional Office in New Delhi, in a statement said, "I would like to congratulate the government of India, the people of India, and the people of Assam for this significant inscription. The Moidams are a unique which site holds immense value for the local communities, who continue to practice ceremonies there, as well for all of humanity."

"It is our collective responsibility to ensure the safeguarding of this heritage for generations to come," he said.

Ranjan Sarma, Commissioner and Secretary, Indigenous Tribes and Cultural, Govt of Assam, and Padmapani Bora, Secretary, tourism department of Assam, who were preset at the Assam stall at the Incredible India pavillion, also hailed the decision.

"We are planning to have a common ticketing system now," Sarma said.

Bora said as part of Assam's policy of community-based homestays, "We have about 10 homestay facilities in Charaideo".