Raja Maidam

Raja Maidam is a historic Ahom burial mound located in Jorhat city, Assam, the last capital of the Ahom kingdom. It is the maidam (vaulted burial mound) of Purandar Singha, the last Ahom king, built in the 19th century. The earthen mound with an underground vault exemplifies the traditional Tai-Ahom funerary architecture. Protected as a heritage monument, it is notable for its historical association and distinctive mound structure in an urban setting.

Visitors can expect a large earthen hemispherical mound with a brick-lined underground vault, set in a small maintained park area within Jorhat town. The site is open and quiet, surrounded by residential areas and trees. There is no elaborate temple structure; the main feature is the mound itself with an informational plaque. Visitors can walk around the mound, view the exterior, take photographs, and learn about Ahom burial customs.

Raja Maidam is the burial mound of Purandar Singha (reigned 1818-1819 and 1833-1838), the last ruler of the Ahom kingdom. Built in the 19th century, it represents the late phase of the Ahom maidam tradition where royalty were buried in vaulted mounds with grave goods. Jorhat was the last capital of the Ahom kingdom, and this maidam is one of the few royal maidams located within an urban area, reflecting the end of six centuries of Ahom rule in Assam.

The maidam embodies Tai-Ahom funerary customs and beliefs about the afterlife, where mounds were built to honor deceased royalty. It is an important cultural marker of Ahom heritage in Upper Assam and illustrates the distinctive mound-burial architecture that is unique to Assam and recognized as a significant funerary tradition.