Context

• In a remarkable decision taken at the 47th Session of the World Heritage Committee, India’s official nomination for 2024-25 cycle, ‘Maratha Military Landscapes of India’ got inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, becoming India’s 44th property to receive this recognition.

About Maratha Military Landscapes

• Spanning from the 17th to 19th centuries CE, this extraordinary network of twelve forts demonstrates the strategic military vision and architectural ingenuity of the Maratha Empire.
• Spread across the states of Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, the selected sites, include Salher, Shivneri, Lohgad, Khanderi, Raigad, Rajgad, Pratapgad, Suvarnadurg, Panhala, Vijaydurg, and Sindhudurg in Maharashtra, along with Gingee Fort in Tamil Nadu.
• Represent an extraordinary fortification and military system envisioned by the Maratha rulers.
• It is nominated in the category of cultural criteria.
• The inception of the Maratha Military ideology dates back to 17th Century during the reign of the Maratha King Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. 
  • It continued through subsequent rules until Peshwa rule till 1818 CE.
• It covers forts from Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu.
• It is a result of integrating the landscape, terrain and physiographic characteristics distinctive to the
  • Sahyadri mountain ranges, 
  • the Konkan Coast,
  • Deccan Plateau and 
  • the Eastern Ghats in the Indian Peninsula.

Key features of forts in Maratha Landscape 

• Salher:
  • Witnessed an important battle in 1672, fought between Maratha and Mughals
  • Salher Fort is a historic hill fort located in the Nashik district of Maharashtra, India, and is one of the most significant forts in the Western Ghats (Sahyadri Hills)
• Shivneri Fort:
  • Shivneri Fort is one of the most culturally and historically significant forts in Maharashtra, located near Junnar in Pune District.
  • Birth place of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
• Lohgad Fort:
  • It is located near Lonavala in Pune district, Maharashtra.
  • It is important as it is near Bhaje Buddhist Caves.
• Raigad Fort:
  • It is located near Mahad, in Raigad district, Maharashtra.
  • It was capital of the Maratha Empire made by Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in 1674
• Rajgad fort:
  • Recognized as the first political base of ‘Hindavi Swarajya'; Rajgad, formerly known as Murumdev (name based on the mountain Murumbadev, on which it was built).
  • Capital of the Maratha Empire.
  • It was one of the 17 forts that Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj kept when he signed the Treaty of Purandar in 1665.
• Gingee fort(Tamil Nadu):
  • It has three distinct hilltop citadels and a massive boundary of thick walls and cliffs

Island Forts

• Sindhudurg:
  • Sindhudurg Fort is a majestic sea fort built by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, located off the Konkan coast of Maharashtra.
• Suvarnadurg:
  • Suvarnadurg Fort is a coastal sea fort built by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, located on the Konkan coast of Maharashtra. It was a critical part of his naval defense strategy and is sometimes called the "Golden Fort" due to its name.
• Khanderi Fort:
  • Khanderi Fort, now officially known as Kanhoji Angre Island, is a historic sea fort located off the coast of Maharashtra, near Alibaug in the Raigad district. 
  • Built during the reign of the Maratha king Shivaji in 1679 CE to keep a check on the Siddhis at Murud-Janjira fort.

Hill Forest Forts

• Pratapgad fort:
  • Major fight with Afzal Khan took place near this fort.
• Panhala fort:
  • Panhala Fort (also known as Panhalgad) is one of the largest and most historically important forts in Maharashtra. Located near Kolhapur, it played a critical role in Maratha history, especially during the time of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
• Vijaydurg:
  • Shivaji captured this fort from Adil Shah of Bijapur and renamed it as “Vijay Durg.
  • It was called the “Eastern Gibraltar”.

Other World Heritage Sites in Maharashtra

About World Heritage Sites

•  It is any of the areas or objects inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.  
• These sites are designated as having outstanding universal value under the World Heritage Convention of 1972. 
• Sites are selected under three categories i.e., cultural, natural, and mixed.
• There are 44 World Heritage Sites in India.
• WHS are nominated on the basis of the tentative list submitted the members. 
• For inclusion in World Heritage List, a site must meet one of the ten selection criteria. 

Conclusion

Maratha Empire emerged as strong power at time when Mughal power was at its peak. With the help of their mighty forts and tactics they were able to defeat their opponents expand their empire. Addition of forts in the UNESCO Heritage Sites List will promote preservation of forts.