Tapping tourism potential of Charaideo’s tag

The much-awaited recognition of the Moidams of Charaideo as a UNESCO World Heritage Site has unlocked tremendous potential for cultural tourism in Assam. The unique mound-burial system of the Ahom dynasty that persevered at Charaideo, the first capital of the Ahom dynasty, will now attract more tourists, cultural anthropologists, and researchers from around the world. Tapping this potential will require the state government to build world-class tourism infrastructure and research facilities in and around Charaideo. As the first cultural heritage site in the entire northeast region to have been tagged as a UNESCO world heritage site, Charaideo will now also attract the attention of the major tourism players in South Asia and Southeast Asia. This will create opportunities for Assam and other states in the region to showcase it to attract tourists from ASEAN countries apart from Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Nepal under the Act East and Neighbourhood First policies of India. “The Moidams of Choraideo can be compared to royal tombs in ancient China and the pyramids of Egyptian pharaohs, illustrating universal themes of honouring and preserving royal lineage through monumental architecture. Within the broader Tai-Ahom cultural region spanning parts of Southeast Asia and Northeast India, Choraideo stands out for its scale, concentration, and spiritual significance,” states an official release from the Ministry of Culture. The inflow of a large number of tourists from these countries will increase the demand for more flights connecting Assam and the region to important places in ASEAN and South Asian countries. It will also help India expedite transborder highway and railway projects to facilitate tourist flow to the region. Increased global attention will not be limited to Moidams and is sure to spread to historic monuments and other iconic archaeological sites that have preserved the glorious chapters of Ahom history and cultural heritage in Sivasagar and other places in the state. The World Heritage tag for Charaideo has also set a benchmark for the upkeep of other cultural heritage sites in the state to meet the expectations of global visitors and researchers and to be on their bucket list. This should not be a problem, as the Central and Assam governments, the Archaeological Survey of India, and the Directorate of Archaeology of the state have demonstrated their commitment to the preservation of rich cultural heritage and tradition through their success in getting the global tag for Charaideo. The availability of funds and trained human resources is the key challenge that the state government will have to overcome with the support of the central government. Authentic interpretation of these cultural properties or historic significance based on quality academic research will play a crucial role in spreading the word to the global community through visitors. A lot of research work that has already been done by archaeologists, historians, cultural anthropologists, and other researchers can be mobilised to develop world-class libraries and research centres at some of these sites. This will bring domain experts from different countries to undertake more collaborative research on the rich heritage and cultural traditions of the state and the region. Assam already has two World Heritage sites, Kaziranga and Manas, which attract a large number of domestic and foreign tourists. The addition of Charaideo Moidams as a third World Heritage Site will help facilitate the development of more tourism circuits. Apart from the legal protection of the site ensured by the central and state governments, the participation of local communities in the protection and preservation of a world heritage site is critical to retaining the heritage tag. If the UNESCO World Heritage Committee finds that a site already inscribed on the World Heritage Site list is not properly managed or protected, the site may be withdrawn from the list. The immediate task before the state and the central governments is to draw up a comprehensive plan of action for efficient management and protection of Charaideo Moidams. Execution of such a plan cannot wait for long, and both governments will have to ensure that adequate budgetary allocations are made for required expenditures. A key lesson learned in the management of Kaziranga and Manas national parks is the problem of encroachment on protected areas. Securing the entire Moidam site with the deployment of adequate security personnel will be essential to ensuring that it does not happen at Charideo and other heritage sites. Building awareness among the people about the importance of World Heritage Sites and other heritage sites and monuments in the preservation of our culture and heritage and tapping the tourism potential in those can make the task easier for the government. The connectivity to Charaideo as well as other historic sites and monuments in Sivasagar will need to be improved at a faster pace to facilitate tourism development in these places. The global community has recognised the importance of Charaideo Moidams. The onus lies on the government and people to develop it as one of the best global destinations.