Maidam, Royal burial mounds in Charaideo district, India.
Maidam is a group of earthen mounds in Charaideo district, Assam, built as royal burial grounds for the Ahom dynasty. Beneath each mound are underground chambers and vaults designed to hold deceased rulers and their grave goods.
The mounds were built between the 13th and 19th centuries as burial grounds for Ahom rulers who governed Assam. This burial method remained the standard royal tradition throughout this entire period.
These mounds reflect the Ahom beliefs about honoring their rulers and preparing them for the next world. Visitors can see how the construction choices reveal what mattered most to the people who built them.
Visitors can walk around the site and view the various mounds from the available pathways. It is best to bring water and sun protection, as shade is limited on the grounds.
In the underground chambers, alongside the rulers, horses and elephants were also buried to serve the kings in the afterlife. This practice reveals how the Ahom imagined the continuation of royal status beyond death.
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