Context: During the 47th session of the World Heritage Committee (WHC) held in Paris, Maratha Fort Systems in India got UNESCO Heritage Tag.
Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: About Maratha Military Landscape, UNESCO World Heritage Tag.
Maratha Military Landscapes in UNESCO’s World Heritage List
- Maratha Military Landscapes of India has been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The decision was taken during the ongoing 47th session of the World Heritage Committee (WHC) being held in Paris.
- With this inscription, India now has 44 properties on the UNESCO World Heritage List. India ranks 6th globally and 2nd in Asia Pacific Region for the most number of World Heritage Sites.
- The purpose of including these heritage sites in UNESCO’s list is to preserve and promote shared heritage based on OUVs (Outstanding Universal Values) found in cultural, natural as well as mixed properties across 196 countries.
About Maratha Military Landscapes
- Maratha Military Landscapes of India is an extraordinary network of twelve forts spread across the states of Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu.
- The list includes forts at: Raigad, Salher, Shivneri, Lohagad, Khanderi, Rajgad, Pratapgad, Suvarnadurg, Panhala, Vijaydurg, Sindhudurg (Maharashtra) and one Gingee Fort in Tamil Nadu.
- The forts are located across a range of diverse terrains- from coastal outposts to hilltop strongholds - reflecting a sophisticated understanding of geography and strategic defence planning.
- Time Period: 17th to 19th Centuries CE.
UNESCO’s World Heritage List:
- UNESCO’s World Heritage Convention was adopted in 1972 and entered into force in 1975.
- Objective: To identify, protect and help preserve international sites of exceptional ecological, scientific, or cultural importance.
- As of 2025: India has 44 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. These include 36 cultural sites, 7 natural sites, and 1 mixed site (Khangchendzonga National Park).
- In 2024, the Moidams of Charaideo, Assam was inscribed in the World Heritage List.
Also Read: ‘Moidams’ to be considered for World Heritage List