India has put forward 12 Maratha forts for consideration on the UNESCO World Heritage List

The 12 elements included in this nomination consist of Salher, Shivneri, Lohagad, Khanderi, Raigad, Rajgad, Pratapgad, Suvarnadurg, Panhala, Vijaydurg, and Sindhudurg forts in Maharashtra, along with the Gingee Fort in Tamil Nadu. The article discusses India's nomination of the "Maratha Military Landscapes" for inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage list. It traces the origins of Maratha military ideology to the 17th century, under the rule of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, continuing through subsequent rulers until the end of the Peshwa rule in 1818. The nomination emphasizes the cultural significance of these forts, highlighting their strategic importance and distribution across diverse geographical regions. India currently boasts 42 World Heritage sites, with the "Maratha Military Landscapes" being the sixth cultural property nominated from Maharashtra. This nomination underscores the rich historical and architectural heritage of India's military past.

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India has proposed the inclusion of the "Maratha Military Landscapes" in the UNESCO World Heritage list for 2024-25. This network of forts highlights the strategic military prowess of Maratha rule.

Remarkable Fortifications

The "Maratha Military Landscapes," evolving between the 17th and 19th centuries, epitomize remarkable fortifications and military strategies devised by Maratha rulers. This exceptional array of forts, exhibiting diverse hierarchies, scales, and typological features, emerges from the harmonious integration of the distinct landscape, terrain, and physiographic traits of the Sahyadri mountain ranges, the Konkan Coast, Deccan Plateau, and the Eastern Ghats in the Indian Peninsula.

The Union Culture Ministry stated on Monday that these forts are spread across various geographical and physiographic regions, demonstrating the strategic military capabilities of Maratha rule.

Out of Maharashtra's extensive collection of over 390 forts, only 12 have been chosen as part of the "Maratha Military Landscapes" initiative. Among these, eight are safeguarded by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), while the remaining four fall under the protection of the Directorate of Archaeology and Museums, Government of Maharashtra.

Since the era of Shivaji

The roots of the Maratha military ethos can be traced back to the 17th century, during the reign of Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj from 1670 CE, and persisted through subsequent rulers until the Peshwa rule ended in 1818 CE.

The Ministry specified that the nomination falls under the category of cultural property.

Currently, India boasts 42 World Heritage sites, comprising 34 cultural sites, seven natural sites, and one mixed site.

The "Maratha Military Landscapes" marks the sixth cultural property nominated from Maharashtra for inclusion in the World Heritage List. It was previously listed on the Tentative List of World Heritage sites in 2021.