Maharashtra govt receives UNESCO certificate declaring 12 forts linked to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj as World Heritage Site

Mumbai: In a historic moment for Maharashtra, the official certificate declaring 12 forts linked to legendary Maratha warrior-king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj as a UNESCO World Heritage Site has been received by the State government.

Last year, the ‘Maratha Military Landscapes of India’ was named the 44th World Heritage Site in India — a testament to the rich civilisational legacy, indigenous military engineering and architectural brilliance of the Marathas.

The 12 component sites recognised under the inscription are: Salher Fort, Shivneri Fort, Lohgad Fort, Khanderi Fort, Raigad Fort, Rajgad Fort, Pratapgad Fort, Suvarnadurg Fort, Panhala Fort, Vijaydurg Fort, Sindhudurg Fort in Maharashtra, and Gingee Fort in Tamil Nadu.

“It is a moment of joy and pride. The recognition marks a historic and emotional moment for the people of Maharashtra and Shiv-bhaktas worldwide,” Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said.

Fadnavis thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and appreciated the efforts of Vishal Sharma, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of India to UNESCO.

State Cultural Affairs Minister Ashish Shelar accepted the certificate at an official function in France. Shelar was accompanied by Sharma and formally received the certificate from Ernesto Renato Ottone Ramirez, Assistant Director-General for Culture at UNESCO.

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj (19 February 1630 – 3 April 1680) was coronated at Raigad Fort on June 6, 1674, from where he laid the foundation of ‘Hindavi Swarajya’ — self-rule of the people.

The nomination dossier notes that the components, distributed across diverse geographical and physiographic regions, showcase the strategic military vision of the Maratha rule.

Developed between the 17th and 19th centuries, the Maratha Military Landscapes of India represent an extraordinary fortification and military system envisioned by the Maratha rulers. The network of forts — varying in hierarchy, scale and typology — reflects a sophisticated integration of landscape, terrain and physiographic characteristics distinctive to the Sahyadri mountain ranges, the Konkan coast, the Deccan plateau and the Western Ghats.

There are more than 390 forts in Maharashtra, of which only 12 were selected under the Maratha Military Landscapes of India. Of these, eight are protected by the Archaeological Survey of India.

“The property includes twelve major fortifications, mostly in Maharashtra State, with one in Tamil Nadu. These forts, such as Raigad, Shivneri and Sindhudurg, were built, adapted, or expanded by the Marathas between the late 17th and early 19th centuries. Strategically located on coastal and mountainous terrain, they formed a complex defence system supporting Maratha military dominance, trade protection and territorial control. This network played a key role in the Marathas’ rise as a major political and military force,” UNESCO said.