The Ministry of Culture has submitted the ‘Maratha Military Landscape’ for inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List for the 2024–25 cycle. This proposal consists of 12 components, being the most recent development.
The famous forts Salher, Shivneri, Lohagad, Khanderi, Raigad, Rajgad, Pratapgad, Suvarnadurg, Panhala, Vijay Durg, Sindhudurg in Maharashtra, and Gingee Fort in Tamil Nadu are among them.
These components, which are dispersed throughout a variety of geographical and physiographic regions, demonstrate the Maratha rule’s strategic military might. The ‘Maratha Military Landscapes of India’, created between the 17th and 19th centuries, are an unusual fortification and military system that combines the various landscapes of the Indian Peninsula’s Sahyadri mountain ranges, Konkan Coast, Deccan Plateau, and Eastern Ghats.
The Ministry of Culture promotes this nomination as an homage to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, coinciding with the 350th anniversary of his coronation. It is worth noting that Maharashtra already boasts six UNESCO World Heritage Sites, which include the Ajanta and Ellora Caves, Elephanta Island Caves, and Western Ghats.
Diverse Culture
This submission, which has been included in the UNESCO Tentative List of World Heritage Sites for 2021, is a unique cultural treasure. The forts, carefully picked from Maharashtra’s over 390 forts, exhibit a wide range of hierarchies, sizes, and typological traits. Notably, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) protects eight of these forts: Shivneri, Lohagad, Raigad, Suvarnadurg, Panhala, Vijaydurg, Sindhudurg, and Gingee.
The ‘Maratha Military Landscapes of India’ spans various categories of forts, such as hill forts like Salher Fort, Shivneri Fort, Lohagad, Raigad, Rajgad, and Gingee Fort, a hill-forest fort like Pratapgad, a hill-plateau fort like Panhala, a coastal fort like Vijaydurg, and island forts like Khanderi fort, Suvarnadurg, and Sindhudurg.
The origins of Maratha military doctrine may be traced back to the 17th century, during the reign of Maratha King Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in 1670, and maintained through consecutive rulers until Peshwa dominance in 1818.
History of Nomination of Maratha Landscape
However, this is not the first time the Maratha Military Landscape has been examined for candidature; it was also added to the UNESCO Tentative List of World Heritage Sites in 2021.
Maharashtra has about 390 forts, but only 12 have been designated as ‘Maratha Military Landscapes of India’, with the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) protecting eight of them.
Shivneri Fort, Lohgad, Raigad, Suvarnadurg, Panhala Fort, Vijaydurg, Sindhudurg, and Gingee Fort are under ASI protection, whereas Salher Fort, Rajgad, Khanderi Fort, and Pratapgarh are under the protection of the Maharashtra government’s Directorate of Archaeology and Museums.
What is the criteria for Nomination?
The nomination is consistent with three criteria:
- To provide a distinctive or remarkable witness to a live or extinct cultural heritage or civilization.
- To be a standout example of a structure, architectural or technical ensemble, or landscape that depicts crucial periods in human history.
- To be immediately or visibly linked to events or live traditions, concepts or beliefs, and creative and literary works of exceptional worldwide value.
India now has 42 World Heritage Sites, 34 of which are cultural, seven of which are natural, and one of which is mixed. Six sites in Maharashtra have received UNESCO recognition: Ajanta Caves, Ellora Caves, Elephanta Caves, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles of Mumbai, and the Western Ghats of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala.
This newest nomination emphasizes India’s rich cultural and historical tapestry, contributing to the international recognition of its legacy.