Context: 

India has put “Maratha Military Landscapes of India” as its nominee for inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List for 2024-25.

India Nominates ‘Maratha Military Landscape’ for UNESCO World Heritage List 2024-25

• The Maratha Military Landscapes of India, crafted between the 17th and 19th centuries, embody an exceptional fortification and military system conceptualized by the Maratha rulers.
• This nomination comprises twelve distinct elements, including 
  • Hill Forts: Salher, Shivneri, Lohgad, Raigad, Rajgad, and Gingee forts,
  • Hill-forest fort: Pratapgad,
  • Hill-plateau fort: Panhala, 
  • Coastal fort: Vijaydurg & 
  • Island forts: Khanderi, Suvarnadurg, and Sindhudurg.
  • Spread across varied geographical and physiographic regions, these components collectively highlight the strategic military prowess of the Maratha rulers.

About The Military Landscapes of the Marathas 

• The Maratha military landscape was established during the reign of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, in 1670 CE and persisted through successive rulers until 1818.
• Significance: 
• • Strategic Utilization of Terrain: These networks exemplify how the existing terrain was utilized by the Maratha army to develop guerrilla warfare strategies. 
    • These strategies were instrumental in countering the imperial might of the Mughals on the landward side and European coastal powers from the seaward side. 
  • A Unique Military Legacy: In the context of India’s military landscape, the Maratha Empire’s warfare strategy emerges as a unique and noteworthy example with the potential to be showcased to the world.

Criteria under World Heritage List Nomination by UNESCO: The nomination process for the World Heritage List involves two categories: Cultural and Natural criteria. 

• The Maratha Military Landscapes of India fall under the cultural criteria category. 
• There are six criteria (i to vi) for cultural sites and four criteria (vii to x) for natural sites to be considered for inclusion in the World Heritage List. 
• The Maratha Military Landscapes of India is nominated under three specific cultural criteria: 
  • Criterion (iii): Demonstrating a unique or exceptionally significant testimony to a cultural tradition or civilization, whether living or extinct. 
  • Criterion (iv): An outstanding example of a specific type of building, architectural or technological ensemble, or landscape that illustrates significant stages in human history. 
  • Criterion (vi): Directly or tangibly associated with events, living traditions, ideas, beliefs, or artistic and literary works of outstanding universal significance.

UNESCO-Recognised Sites in India At Present

• India is home to 42 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, among these, 34 are designated as Cultural sites, 7 as Natural sites, and 2 as mixed sites, each acknowledged for their exceptional universal value to humanity.
• Recently UNESCO added Shantiniketan, the 41st UNESCO World Heritage Site in India and the inscription of the 13th-century sacred ensemble of temples of the Hoysala rulers — the famed temples of Belur, Halebid and Somananthpura in Karnataka — into the World Heritage list making India’s total sites on the World Heritage list as 42.

Also Read: Santiniketan World Heritage Site 

News Source: PIB