https://indianpedia.org/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Maratha_Military_Landscapes_of_IndiaMaratha Military Landscapes of India - Revision history2026-07-31T22:20:04ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.45.4https://indianpedia.org/index.php?title=Maratha_Military_Landscapes_of_India&diff=516425&oldid=prevJugnu at 04:56, 24 August 20252025-08-24T04:56:34Z<p></p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{short description|World Heritage Site in India}}<br />
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2025}}<br />
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2025}}<br />
{{Infobox UNESCO World Heritage Site|WHS=Maratha Military Landscapes of India|Criteria=Cultural: (iv), (vi)|ID=1739|Location=[[Maharashtra]] and [[Tamil Nadu]]|Year=2025|Session=47th|image={{multiple image<br />
| border = infobox<br />
| total_width = 300<br />
| image_style =<br />
| perrow = 2/2/2/2/2/2<br />
| image1 = Salher 1.jpg{{!}}Salher Fort<br />
| caption1 = [[Salher]]<br />
| image2 = Shivneri fort1.JPG{{!}}Shivneri Fort<br />
| caption2 = [[Shivneri Fort]]<br />
| image3 = View of Lohgad.jpg{{!}}Lohagad<br />
| caption3 = [[Lohagad]]<br />
| image4 = Forsaken cannon at Khanderi 01.jpg{{!}}Khanderi Fort<br />
| caption4 = [[Khanderi]]<br />
| image5 = Raigad Fort-Rigad.JPG{{!}} Raigad<br />
| caption5 = [[Raigad Fort]]<br />
| image6 = .... Rajgad 17.JPG{{!}}Rajgad<br />
| caption6 = [[Rajgad Fort]]<br />
| image7 = Pratapgad The Fort of Valour.jpg{{!}}Pratapgad<br />
| caption7 = [[Pratapgad]]<br />
| image8 = Suvarnadurg fort.JPG{{!}}Suvarnadurg<br />
| caption8 = [[Suvarnadurg]]<br />
| image9 = Panhala.10.jpg{{!}}Panhala Fort<br />
| caption9 = [[Panhala Fort]]<br />
| image10 = Vijaydurg Fort 20.jpg{{!}}Vijaydurg<br />
| caption10 = [[Vijaydurg Fort]]<br />
| image11 = Underwater rocks make the way to Sindhudurg Fort difficult.jpg{{!}}Sindhudurg<br />
| caption11 = [[Sindhudurg Fort]]<br />
| image12 = Gingee Fort Villupuram Tamil Nadu 20181001 125022.jpg{{!}}Gingee Fort<br />
| caption12 = [[Gingee Fort]]<br />
}}|Coordinates={{Location map many|India<br />
| coordinates1={{coord|20.7225|N|73.9425|E}}<br />
| coordinates2={{coord|19.196667|N|73.858333|E}}<br />
| coordinates3={{coord|18.71|N|73.476667|E}}<br />
| coordinates4={{coord|18.703889|N|72.813333|E}}<br />
| coordinates5={{coord|18.236111|N|73.444444|E}}<br />
| coordinates6={{coord|18.246111|N|73.6825|E}}<br />
| coordinates7={{coord|17.935833|N|73.578611|E}}<br />
| coordinates8={{coord|17.816389|N|73.084444|E}}<br />
| coordinates9={{coord|16.811111|N|74.108056|E}}<br />
| coordinates10={{coord|16.560833|N|73.333333|E}}<br />
| coordinates11={{coord|16.0425|N|73.459722|E}}<br />
| coordinates12={{coord|12.250556|N|79.401389|E}}<br />
}}|locmapin=}}<br />
<br />
The '''Maratha Military Landscapes of India''' are a group of 12 forts that were occupied and developed by the [[Maratha Empire|Maratha]] rulers between the 17th and 19th-century. These include [[Salher]], [[Shivneri Fort]], [[Lohagad]], [[Khanderi]], [[Raigad Fort]], [[Rajgad Fort]], [[Pratapgad]], [[Suvarnadurg]], [[Panhala Fort]], [[Vijaydurg Fort]], [[Sindhudurg Fort]], all located in [[Maharashtra]] and [[Gingee Fort]] in [[Tamil Nadu]]. Spread across various geographical terrains, these forts showcase the military prowess of Maratha rule. It was declared as a [[World Heritage Site]] in 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |last=UNESCO World Heritage Centre |title=Maratha Military Landscapes of India |url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1739/ |access-date=2025-07-11 |website=whc.unesco.org |language=en}}</ref><br />
<br />
== Background ==<br />
In 2021, the Maratha Military Landscapes of India were included in the Tentative World Heritage List.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/6533/|title=Serial Nomination of Maratha Military Architecture in Maharashtra|publisher=UNESCO World Heritage Centre|access-date=3 June 2022|archive-date=May 8, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220508093325/https://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/6533/}}</ref> They were then picked as the official nomination from India for inscription in the UNESCO World Heritage List for the year 2024-25, as announced by the [[Ministry of Culture (India)|Ministry of Culture]] in January 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |title="Maratha Military Landscapes of India" will be India's nomination for recognition as UNESCO World Heritage List for the year 2024-25 |url=https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=2000461 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250417142148/https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=2000461 |archive-date=17 April 2025 |access-date=2025-07-12 |website=www.pib.gov.in |url-status=live }}</ref> Maharashtra has more than 390 forts, out of which only 11 forts were selected for this list along with one fort in Tamil Nadu. These forts span across the diverse topographies of the [[Western Ghats|Sahyadri Range]], [[Deccan Plateau]], [[Konkan|Konkan Coast]], and the [[Eastern Ghats]]. The Maratha military strategy that involved these forts was developed during the reign of the Maratha ruler [[Shivaji|Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj]] in the 17th-century and continued till the [[Peshwa|Peshwa rule]] in the early 19th-century.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2 February 2024 |title=India: "Maratha Military Landscapes of India" will be India's nomination for UNESCO World Heritage List |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/2920612628 |access-date=12 July 2025 |work=Asia News Monitor |id={{ProQuest|2920612628}} }}</ref><br />
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The nomination process was followed with a survey of the forts by the UNESCO team in October 2024.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2024-09-11 |title=Unesco team to visit forts nominated for World Heritage Site tag in Oct |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolhapur/unesco-team-to-visit-forts-nominated-for-world-heritage-site-tag-in-oct/articleshow/113269086.cms |access-date=2025-07-12 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref> In February 2025, a four-member delegation from Maharashtra led by [[Ashish Shelar]], had visited [[Paris]] to provide technical and diplomatic presentations in a bid to push the World Heritage status for these forts.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Mutha |first=Snehal |date=2025-02-23 |title=Shelar-led delegation off to Paris to obtain UNESCO heritage status for 12 forts of Shivaji |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/maharashtra/shelar-led-delegation-off-to-paris-to-obtain-unesco-heritage-status-for-12-forts-of-shivaji/article69255530.ece |access-date=2025-07-12 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}</ref> During the 47th session of World Heritage Convention in July 2025, the [[International Council on Monuments and Sites]] (ICOMOS) had recommended to defer India's entry stating that,“it fails to convincingly demonstrate how the dozen geographically scattered forts ... functioned as an integrated military defense system.”<ref>{{Cite news |last=Tulsian |first=Vrinda |date=9 July 2025 |title=Maha's Unesco label dreams for Shivaji forts stumble on technical hurdles |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/mahas-unesco-label-dreams-for-shivaji-forts-stumble-on-technical-hurdles-101752000598032.html |access-date=12 July 2025 |work=Hindustan Times}}</ref> However, India's diplomatic response along with support from the international delegates, helped the nomination to be officially inscribed as a World Heritage Site.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tulsian |first=Vrinda |date=12 July 2025 |title=Int'l support helps 12 Maratha forts scoop Unesco World Heritage label |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/intl-support-helps-12-maratha-forts-scoop-unesco-world-heritage-label-101752260140929.html |access-date=12 July 2025 |website=Hindustan Times}}</ref> <br />
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== List of forts ==<br />
{| class="wikitable sortable"<br />
|-<br />
! Sr. No.<br />
! Name<br />
! Image<br />
! Year<br />
! Type<br />
! District with coordinates<br />
! State<br />
|-<br />
| 1<br />
| [[Salher]]<br />
| [[File:Salher Fort.jpg|100px]]<br />
| 1671<br />
| Hill<br />
| [[Nashik district]]<br><small>{{Coord|20.7225|73.9425}}</small> || rowspan="11" style="text-align:center" |[[Maharashtra]]<br />
|-<br />
| 2 || [[Shivneri Fort]] || [[File:Shivneripic7.jpg|100px]] || 1595 || Hill || [[Pune district]]<br><small>{{Coord|19.196667|73.858333}}</small><br />
|-<br />
| 3 || [[Lohagad]] || [[File:Greenery at Lohagad Fort.jpg|100px]] || 1648 || Hill || [[Pune district]]<br><small>{{Coord|18.71|73.476667}}</small><br />
|-<br />
| 4 || [[Khanderi]] || [[File:British cannon at Khanderi fort.jpg|100px]] || 1679 || Island || [[Raigad district]]<br><small>{{Coord|18.703889|72.813333}}</small><br />
|-<br />
| 5 || [[Raigad Fort]] || [[File:Buruj, Raigad Fort, India.jpg|100px]] || 1674 || Hill || [[Raigad district]]<br><small>{{Coord|18.236111|73.444444}}</small><br />
|-<br />
| 6 || [[Rajgad Fort]] || [[File:.... Rajgad 16.JPG|100px]] || 1647 || Hill || [[Pune district]]<br><small>{{Coord|18.246111|73.6825}}</small><br />
|-<br />
| 7 || [[Pratapgad]] || [[File:Mahabaleshwar Pratapgad 023.jpg|100px]] || 1656 || Hill-forest || [[Satara district]]<br><small>{{Coord|17.935833|73.578611}}</small><br />
|-<br />
| 8 || [[Suvarnadurg]] || [[File:Suvarnadurg fort.JPG|100px]] || 1696 || Island || [[Ratnagiri district]]<br><small>{{Coord|17.816389|73.084444}}</small><br />
|-<br />
| 9 || [[Panhala Fort]] || [[File:Panhala walls (2065387115).jpg|100px]] || 1659 || Hill-plateau || [[Kolhapur district]]<br><small>{{Coord|16.811111|74.108056}}</small><br />
|-<br />
| 10 || [[Vijaydurg Fort]] || [[File:Vijaydurg Fort 20.jpg|100px]] || 1653 || Coastal || [[Sindhudurg district]]<br><small>{{Coord|16.560833|73.333333}}</small><br />
|-<br />
| 11 || [[Sindhudurg Fort]] || [[File:Sindhudurg Fort Exterior Wall.jpg|100px]] || 1664 || Island || [[Sindhudurg district]]<br><small>{{Coord|16.0425|73.459722}}</small><br />
|-<br />
| 12 || [[Gingee Fort]] || [[File:Genji Fort (2).jpg|100px]] || 1677 || Hill || [[Villupuram District]]<br><small>{{Coord|12.250556|79.401389}}</small> || [[Tamil Nadu]]<br />
|}<br />
<br />
== References ==<br />
{{Reflist}}<br />
<br />
== External links ==<br />
{{Commons category|Maratha Military Landscapes of India}}<br />
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* {{YouTube|id=mhqewpLHpKk|title=Vote of thanks by the Indian delegation at WHC 2025}}<br />
* {{YouTube|id=G_hFykdEQb8|title=Maratha Military Forts Join UNESCO World Heritage List|link=no}}<br />
{{World Heritage Sites in India|state=collapsed}}<br />
[[Category:Maratha Military Landscapes of India|*]]</div>Jugnu