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Charaideo (Tai: Che Tam-Doi Meaning: Che=town, Tam=Foot-Hill, Doi=Hill/Mountain, Assamese: চৰাইদেউ Sôraideu) was the first capital of the Ahom kingdom established by the first Ahom king Chao Lung Siu-Ka-Pha in 1228.
It is about 30 km from Sibsagar town of Assam of the Sibsagar- Sonari Road. Charaideo district is a new district of Assam from 15 August 2015 announced by Chief Minister of Assam Tarun Gogoi.
History
Though the capital of the Ahom kingdom moved many times, Charaideo remained the symbolic center. It contains sacred burial grounds of Ahom kings and queens and is also the place of ancestral Gods of the Ahoms. The tombs (Maidams) of Ahom kings and queens at Charaideo hillocks are comparable to the Pyramids of Egypt and are objects of wonder revealing the excellent architecture and skill of the sculptors and masons of Assam of the medieval days.
The actual number of Maidam has exceeded 150 but only 30 Maidams are protected by the Archaeological Survey of India and Assam State Archaeology Department, and the remaining Maidams are unprotected. Most of these unprotected Maidams are encroached by people and so going to be damaged. The biggest unprotected Maidam is the Bali Maidam near Nimonagarh. This Maidam is called Bali Maidam, because while British plundered it, they got obstruction from excess sands (Bali) in the surrounding of the Maidam.
The site has had some archaeological works but also has suffered from robbers. There have been calls for the site to be UNESCO World Heritage listed.
