Pune's Shivneri, Rajgad & Lohagad Among 12 Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Forts Added To UNESCO World Heritage List

In a big win for India, 12 forts of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj have been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The decision was taken during the 47th session of the World Heritage Committee (WHC) held in Paris.

The 12 forts are Salher, Shivneri, Lohagad, Khanderi, Raigad, Rajgad, Pratapgad, Suvarnadurg, Panhala, Vijay Durg and Sindhudurg in Maharashtra, and Gingee Fort in Tamil Nadu.

Three of these forts - Shivneri, Rajgad and Lohagad - are in Pune district. Shivneri was the fort where Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was born, while Rajgad served as the first capital of the Maratha Empire.

The inclusion of the 12 forts has been welcomed by all quarters, with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis calling it a "proud and glorious moment" for the state.

"Maharashtra Govt offers salutations to our beloved Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj!! Heartiest congratulations to all the citizens and Shivbhakts of Maharashtra," Fadnavis said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

"I am extremely happy to share that 12 forts of our greatest King, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, have been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List," he said.

Shivaji Maharaj built these forts for "Swarajya" (sovereign state), Fadnavis added.

Many people contributed to the efforts to include them in the UNESCO list, the CM said.

"First of all, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The support he gave and the active participation of the Central Government were of great value. The Archaeological Survey of India and the Ministry of Culture helped a lot in this. I personally contacted various ambassadors. My colleagues, DCM Eknath Shinde and DCM Ajit Pawar also supported me from time to time. Minister Ashish Shelar personally went and met the Director General of UNESCO. He made a technical presentation there," Fadnavis said.

"ACS Vikas Kharge from my office, as well as India's Ambassador to UNESCO Vishal Sharma and Hemant Dalvi from the Directorate of Archaeology and Museums, were present," he added.

Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said that the development was a matter of immense historical and cultural significance and pride for the state.

These forts bear witness to the valour, sacrifice and vision of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and the Maratha warriors, and now their legacy would gain global visibility and respect, Pawar said.

He thanked PM Modi for his active support in the successful nomination and extended congratulations to the people of Maharashtra.

Pawar also appreciated the efforts of the state's Department of Cultural Affairs in meticulously preparing the proposal and said the recognition highlights Maharashtra's historical and architectural glory.

He also urged the people of Maharashtra to take a renewed pledge for the protection and conservation of all forts across the state.

Maharashtra's mountaineers said the inclusion of these forts in the UNESCO World Heritage List will boost efforts to conserve these structures, which played a key role in Shivaji Maharaj's guerrilla warfare tactics.

The Akhil Maharashtra Giryarohan Mahasangh (AMGM), an umbrella body of mountaineers and fort-lovers, welcomed the World Heritage Committee's decision to include 12 forts representing 'Maratha Military Landscapes' in the coveted list.

"The most important aspect of the inclusion in the list is that now the (UNESCO-prescribed) rules which govern the upkeep of such sites will apply to these forts. It will help in conservation efforts," said Hrishikesh Yadav, executive president of the association.

Yadav said the AMGM had presented scale models of the forts during a meeting of the heritage panel, which helped them understand the historical significance of these structures, the surrounding challenging terrain and their architecture.

Reportedly, there are over 350 forts in Maharashtra, of which 11 prominent ones, including Raigad, the capital of Shivaji Maharaj in north Konkan, made it to the list.

These forts have weathered the elements for nearly four centuries and the attempts to curtail access during colonial times.

(With PTI inputs)

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