Centre Submits UNESCO Dossier for Rangpur-Sivasagar Heritage Status

The Government of India has submitted a nomination dossier to UNESCO seeking World Heritage status for the Rangpur-Sivasagar Ensemble, the historic centre of the Ahom Kingdom. The proposal, submitted under the cultural category and based on UNESCO criteria III and IV, highlights the region’s distinctive heritage, royal architecture, water-management systems and cultural traditions. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma welcomed the move, crediting the Prime Minister for promoting Assam’s heritage on the global stage.

The dossier highlights the Ahoms’ sophisticated use of tanks, temples, palaces, fortifications and ceremonial structures developed during the 17th and 18th centuries. It also underlines the ensemble’s significance as evidence of the Tai Ahom polity’s six-century legacy and its unique combination of hydraulic engineering, urban planning and architecture. The development follows UNESCO’s recognition of Charaideo Maidams as a World Heritage Site in 2024.