Maidam

A maidam (অসমীয়া: মৈদাম ) is a tumulus of the royalty and aristocracy of the medieval Ahom Kingdom (1228-1826) in Assam, India. The royal maidams are found exclusively at Charaideo, near Sibasagar; whereas other maidams are found scattered in the region between Jorhat and Dibrugarh towns. Structurally, a maidam consists of vaults with one or more chambers.[1] The vaults have a domical superstructure that is covered by a hemispherical earthen mound that rises high above the ground with an open pavilion at the peak called chow chali. An octagonal dwarf wall encloses the entire maidam.

Group of Four Maidams

The structural construction and the process of royal burials are explained in historical documents called Chang-Rung Phukanor Buranji, which detail even the articles that were buried. Later excavations under the Archaeological Survey of India found some of the maidams previously defiled,[2] with the articles mentioned in the Buranji missing. Many of the maidams were excavated and looted, most famously under the Mughal general Mir Jumla who had occupied Garhgaon briefly in the 17th century, and under the British after 1826.

The Ahom community in Assam consider the excavation as an affront to their tradition, because the maidams are associated with the Ahom ancestor worship and the festival of Me-Dam-Me-Phi.

Notes
  1. (ASI 2007)
  2. (Dutta & Das 2003)
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References
  • Gogoi, Padmeswar (1976). Tai-Ahom Religion and cusotms (1st ed.). Publication Board, Gauhati, Assam.
  • ASI (2007). "Group of Maidams, Charaideo". Archaeological Survey of India, Government of India. Archived from the original on 2009-04-10. Retrieved 2007-11-30.
  • Dutta, Pullock; Das, Ripunjay (3 January 2003). "Bounty hunters beat ASI to tombs". The Telegraph (Kolkata). Retrieved 2007-12-06.
  • Das, Ripunjay (2006-01-19). "Saving Ahom kingdom - Local youths push for Unesco tag to protect Charaideo". The Telegraph (Kolkata). Retrieved 2007-12-06.

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