A fort replica.
Credit: Special Arrangement
Mumbai: Months after 12 iconic forts linked to the life and legacy of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj earned UNESCO World Heritage Site status, the Akhil Maharashtra Giryarohan Mahasangh (AMGM) will mark the occasion with a state-level fort-building competition this Diwali.
Titled the Maratha Military Landscapes of India, the UNESCO inscription is India’s 44th World Heritage Site — celebrating the region’s indigenous military engineering, architectural ingenuity, and civilizational legacy.
The 12 forts under the listing include Salher, Shivneri, Lohgad, Khanderi, Raigad, Rajgad, Pratapgad, Suvarnadurg, Panhala, Vijaydurg, and Sindhudurg in Maharashtra, and Gingee Fort in Tamil Nadu.
Lohgad fort.
Lohgad fort.
Sindhudurg fort.
Pratapgad fort.
“It’s a long-standing Diwali tradition across Maharashtra to build miniature forts symbolizing the valor of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj,” said AMGM president Umesh Zirpe. “This year, the UNESCO recognition has taken the Maratha Empire’s history across the seven seas.”
The competition will be held from October 17 to 23 across major cities in Maharashtra through AMGM’s district-level units, coinciding with the Diwali festivities. Participants will compete in two categories — junior and senior — with winners receiving shields, certificates, and attractive prizes. Participation is free.
AMGM coordinators Rahul Meshram and Dr. Rahul Waranghe will lead the initiative.
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj (1630–1680) was coronated at Raigad Fort on June 6, 1674, from where he laid the foundation of Hindavi Swarajya — the self-rule of the people.