India nominates 'Maratha military landscapes' for UNESCO heritage list
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New Delhi: India has officially submitted the 'Maratha Military Landscapes of India' for consideration in the UNESCO World Heritage List for the 2024-25 cycle.
This nomination, featuring twelve components across Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, showcases the strategic military prowess envisioned by the Maratha rulers between the 17th and 19th centuries.
The nominated sites include Salher Fort, Shivneri Fort, Lohgad, Khanderi Fort, Raigad, Rajgad, Pratapgad, Suvarnadurg, Panhala Fort, Vijay durg, and Sindhudurg in Maharashtra, along with Gingee fort in Tamil Nadu.
Highlighting the extraordinary fortification and military system developed by the Maratha rulers, the nomination emphasises the integration of landscape, terrain, and physiographic characteristics distinctive to the Sahyadri mountain ranges, the Konkan Coast, Deccan Plateau, and the Eastern Ghats in the Indian Peninsula.
The 'Maratha Military Landscapes of India' were included in the Tentative List of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 2021.
Out of more than 390 forts in Maharashtra, twelve have been selected for this nomination, with eight under the protection of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
The forts under ASI protection are Shivneri Fort, Lohgad, Raigad, Suvarnadurg, Panhala Fort, Vijaydurg, Sindhudurg, and Gingee Fort, while Salher Fort, Rajgad, Khanderi Fort, and Pratapgarh are safeguarded by the Directorate of Archaeology and Museums, Government of Maharashtra.
The nomination, falling under the cultural property category, aims to bear testimony to a cultural tradition, be an outstanding example of a historical architectural ensemble, and be associated with events or traditions of universal significance.
India presently boasts 42 World Heritage Sites, including six in Maharashtra.
The 'Maratha Military Landscapes of India' aspire to join this prestigious list based on criteria highlighting their unique cultural testimony, outstanding architectural significance, and direct association with events and traditions of universal importance.