{"id":2995,"date":"2026-05-25T15:28:56","date_gmt":"2026-05-25T09:58:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/?p=2995"},"modified":"2026-05-25T15:28:57","modified_gmt":"2026-05-25T09:58:57","slug":"which-one-of-the-following-statements-with-regard-to-the-moidams-built-by-the-tai-ahom-kingdom-and-inscribed-as-a-world-heritage-site-by-unesco-is-are-correct","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/upsc\/prelims\/which-one-of-the-following-statements-with-regard-to-the-moidams-built-by-the-tai-ahom-kingdom-and-inscribed-as-a-world-heritage-site-by-unesco-is-are-correct","title":{"rendered":"Which one of the following statements with regard to the Moidams, built by the Tai-Ahom kingdom and inscribed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, is\/are correct?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<ol start=\"1\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>They acted as army fortresses.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>They were recreation centres of the Royals and Nobles.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>They were burial grounds of the Royals and Nobles.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>They were battle drill centres of the Royals and Nobles.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Select the answer using the code given below: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list mcq\">\n<li>1 only<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>1 and 3<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>3 only<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2 and 4<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Answer: (c) 3 only<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Statement 3 is correct:<\/strong> <strong>Moidams<\/strong> are the unique, vaulted mound-burial systems (tumuli) built by the <strong>Tai-Ahom dynasty<\/strong>, which ruled the Brahmaputra Valley in Assam for nearly 600 years (1228\u20131826 CE). Structurally, a Moidam consists of an underground semi-spherical brick or stone chamber containing the remains of kings, queens, or high-ranking nobles along with their grave goods, topped by a prominent earthen mound covered with turf.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Statement 1 is incorrect (Not Army Fortresses):<\/strong> The Ahoms built distinct structural systems for defense and warfare. Their military fortification systems included massive earthen ramparts, dykes, and stone fortifications called <strong>Garhs<\/strong> (e.g., Momai Tamuli Borbarua built extensive fortification walls around Guwahati during the Ahom-Mughal conflicts), but Moidams were exclusively sacred and funereal, serving no defensive military purpose.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Statement 2 is incorrect (Not Recreation Centres):<\/strong> Being sacred ancestral burial sites, Moidams were treated with immense reverence and solemnity. Recreation and cultural centers for royals and nobles were housed in structurally advanced multi-storied brick palaces and pleasure pavilions, such as the <strong>Rang Ghar<\/strong> (an amphitheater for sports and cultural events) and the <strong>Talatal Ghar<\/strong> in Garhgaon and Joysagar.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Statement 4 is incorrect (Not Battle Drill Centres):<\/strong> Battle drills, tactical training, and military assemblies for the Ahom army took place in open garrison fields known as <strong>Khwangs<\/strong> or dedicated military stations located along strategic choke points of the Brahmaputra river basin.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"686\" src=\"https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Charaideo-Moidams-1024x686.webp\" alt=\"Charaideo Moidams\" class=\"wp-image-2996\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.4927436074637181;width:727px;height:auto\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Charaideo-Moidams-1024x686.webp 1024w, https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Charaideo-Moidams-300x201.webp 300w, https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Charaideo-Moidams-768x515.webp 768w, https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Charaideo-Moidams.webp 1343w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\ud83d\udccc Tai-Ahom Kingdom &amp; Charaideo Moidams:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Key Facts About Assam\u2019s Charaideo Moidams<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The Ahom dynasty (1228\u20131826 AD) ruled medieval Assam for nearly 600 years. <strong>Tai prince Chaolung Sukaphaa crossed the Patkai mountains and entered the Brahmaputra valley in 1228, later establishing his first permanent capital in Charaideo in 1253.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Charaideo Moidams in Assam hold historical significance as the<strong>\u00a0burial sites of the Ahom dynasty.<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>These<strong>\u00a0earthen mounds, known as moidams,<\/strong>\u00a0were used for burying royalty and aristocracy, reflecting the unique funerary practices of the Ahom people.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The moidams, resembling\u00a0<strong>ancient Egyptians give Charaideo moidams the nickname &#8220;Pyramids of Assam &#8221;\u00a0<\/strong>are now popular tourist attractions, but many are in disrepair.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Ahoms, who ruled Assam for six centuries,\u00a0<strong>practised burial instead of cremation,\u00a0<\/strong>and the grandeur of the moidams often reflected the status of the buried individuals.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Chaolung Sukapha migrated from Burma to the\u00a0<strong>Brahmaputra valley,<\/strong>\u00a0establishing the<strong>\u00a0first principality in Charaideo.\u00a0<\/strong>The Ahoms suppressed the older political system, and adopted Hinduism and the Assamese language while maintaining their traditional beliefs.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Sukapha successfully assimilated different communities and tribes, earning the title of the architect of<strong>\u00a0&#8216;Bor Asom&#8217; or &#8216;Greater Assam&#8217;.<\/strong>\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Ahom dynasty&#8217;s legacy continues to be celebrated in Assam, notably through events like the\u00a0<strong>400<\/strong><strong>th<\/strong><strong>\u00a0birth anniversary of Ahom general Lachit Borphukan<\/strong>.\u00a0<strong>Assam celebrates \u2018Asom Divas\u2019 on 2<\/strong><strong>nd<\/strong><strong>\u00a0December every year\u00a0<\/strong>to commemorate Sukapha and his rule.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Architectural Components of a Moidam<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>The Vault (Garbha):<\/strong> The underground chamber built of stone or baked bricks to hold the royal coffin.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The Earth Mound (Ga-Moidam):<\/strong> A massive hemispherical earthen dome raised above the chamber, covered with grass to prevent soil erosion.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The Octagonal Wall (Chao-Chali):<\/strong> A low stone or brick boundary wall encircling the base of the mound to lock the structure in place.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The Chow-Chang:<\/strong> A small brick pavilion or open shrine built atop the apex of the mound, used for performing ancestral offerings and funerary rituals.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Strategic and Cultural Shifts of the Ahoms<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>The Founder:<\/strong> The kingdom was established by <strong>Chaolung Sukaphaa<\/strong> <strong>in 1228 CE<\/strong>, who chose <strong>Charaideo as his first capital <\/strong>and instituted the Moidam burial tradition based on their original animistic Tai religion.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The Religious Shift:<\/strong> In the later phases of the dynasty (around the 17th\u201318th centuries), several Ahom rulers converted to Hinduism. Consequently, many kings adopted the Hindu custom of <strong>cremation<\/strong> instead of whole-body burial. However, even after cremation, their ashes and bone relics were still ritually interred inside traditional Moidams at Charaideo.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The Battle of Saraighat (1671):<\/strong> While Charaideo was the spiritual center, the military peak of the kingdom was achieved elsewhere under General <strong>Lachit Borphukan<\/strong>, who decisively defeated the Mughal forces on the Brahmaputra river near Guwahati.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Select the answer using the code given below: Answer: (c) 3 only \ud83d\udccc Tai-Ahom Kingdom &amp; Charaideo Moidams: Key Facts About Assam\u2019s Charaideo Moidams Architectural Components of a Moidam Strategic and Cultural Shifts of the Ahoms<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[3,1],"tags":[43,41],"years":[74],"class_list":["post-2995","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-prelims","category-upsc","tag-art-and-culture","tag-medieval-history","years-74"],"acf":[],"taxonomy_info":{"category":[{"value":3,"label":"Prelims"},{"value":1,"label":"UPSC"}],"post_tag":[{"value":43,"label":"Art and Culture"},{"value":41,"label":"Medieval History"}],"years":[{"value":74,"label":"2026"}]},"featured_image_src_large":false,"author_info":{"display_name":"LotusArise","author_link":"https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/author\/team-lotusarise"},"comment_info":0,"category_info":[{"term_id":3,"name":"Prelims","slug":"prelims","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":3,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":1,"count":1251,"filter":"raw","cat_ID":3,"category_count":1251,"category_description":"","cat_name":"Prelims","category_nicename":"prelims","category_parent":1},{"term_id":1,"name":"UPSC","slug":"upsc","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":1,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":1269,"filter":"raw","cat_ID":1,"category_count":1269,"category_description":"","cat_name":"UPSC","category_nicename":"upsc","category_parent":0}],"tag_info":[{"term_id":43,"name":"Art and Culture","slug":"art-and-culture","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":43,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":80,"filter":"raw"},{"term_id":41,"name":"Medieval History","slug":"medieval-history","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":41,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":38,"filter":"raw"}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2995","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2995"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2995\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2995"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2995"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2995"},{"taxonomy":"years","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/years?post=2995"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}