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Recently, the Maharashtra government has submitted a tentative “serial” nomination seeking the World Heritage Site tag for 14 forts.
- The 14 forts are from the era of 17th century Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on the theme of Maratha Military Architecture in Maharashtra.
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14 Forts in Maharashtra’s Proposal
Raigad Fort
- Originally called Rairi, it is built on a large wedge of a hill in the Sahyadris, separated from the main range by a ravine. The capital fort of the Maratha Empire was rebuilt for the coronation of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
Rajgad Fort
- Hillfort in Pune district, capital of the Maratha Empire under Chhatrapati Shivaji for almost 26 years, before the capital moved to the Raigad Fort.
Shivneri Fort
- Near Junnar in Pune district. Shivaji’s birthplace consists of 7 gates. It is an example of Bahamani/ Nizamshahi architecture providing a backdrop to the narrative of guerrilla warfare.
Torna Fort
- Fort in Pune district, captured by Shivaji in 1646, when he was 16 and marked the beginning of the Maratha empire.
Lohagad
- Close to Lonavala, it overlooks one of the most picturesque valleys and is believed to have been built in the 14th century. It is an example of Maratha hill fort architecture until the Peshwa period.
Salher Fort
- One of the highest forts in the Sahyadris, located in the Dolhari range of Nashik. The fort witnessed a key battle in 1672 between Marathas and Mughals.
Mulher Fort
- In Nashik; one of three forts situated on a hill, flanked by Mora to the east and Hatgad to the west. The surrender of Mulher ended the Third Maratha War.
Rangana Fort
- In Kolhapur, bordering Sindhudurg. Aurangzeb tried to conquer it along with Bhudargad and Samangad in his Deccan campaign, but did not succeed.
Ankai Tankai Forts
- In Nashik district, Ankai and Tankai are separate forts on adjacent hills, with a common fortification wall.
Kasa Fort
- Popularly known as Padmadurg, built on a rocky island off the coast of Murud, and provided a base for naval military operations.
Sindhudurg Fort
- Built by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in 1668, This sea fort is considered a masterpiece in military defence.
Alibag Fort
- Popularly known as Kulaba Fort, it was chosen as one of the forts to be modelled as a naval base by Chhatrapati Shivaji.
Suvarnadurg
- Built on an island, it was repaired and strengthened by Shivaji Maharaj in 1660.
Khanderi Fort
- Khanderi, officially named Kanhoji Angre Island in 1998, is 20 km south of Mumbai. Built in 1679, Khanderi Fort was the site of many battles between Shivaji Maharaj’s forces and the navy of the Siddhis.
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About
- The serial nomination was forwarded by the Archaeological Survey of India to UNESCO through the Ministry of Culture.
- UNESCO has accepted the nomination in Tentative Lists of its World Heritage Site.
- According to the World Heritage Convention’s operational guidelines, a tentative list is an “inventory” of properties a country believes deserves to be a World Heritage Site.
Procedure For World Heritage Site Tag
- The operational guidelines of the World Heritage Convention clearly state that a country has to submit a tentative list where “inventory” of properties are stated.
- These properties are expected to be the ones that deserve to be a World Heritage Site according to a country.
- After this, UNESCO assesses and includes property in the Tentative List.
- Once this is done, that country will have to prepare a nomination document for the UNESCO World Heritage Committee for consideration.
- To be sure, any property being tagged as a World Heritage Site, the location has to have an “outstanding universal value”.
- This means that the site must signify any cultural or natural significance which can further be termed as exceptional.
- The site is also expected to “transcend national boundaries” and become a place of importance for everyone in the present and the future.
- Selection criteria
- To be included on the World Heritage List, sites must meet at least one out of ten selection criterias.
- To represent a masterpiece of human creative genius.
- To exhibit an important interchange of human values, over a span of time or within a cultural area of the world, on developments in architecture or technology, monumental arts, town-planning or landscape design.
- To bear a unique or at least exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or to a civilization that is living or which has disappeared.
- To be an outstanding example of a type of building, architectural or technological ensemble or landscape that illustrates (a) significant stage(s) in human history.
- To be an outstanding example of a traditional human settlement, land-use, or sea-use which is representative of a culture (or cultures), or human interaction with the environment.
- To be directly or tangibly associated with events or living traditions, with ideas, or with beliefs, with artistic and literary works of outstanding universal significance.
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World Heritage Site
- A World Heritage site is classified as a natural or man-made area or a structure that is of international importance, and space that requires special protection.
- These sites are officially recognised by the UN and the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation, also known as UNESCO.
- These sites are important for humanity, and they hold cultural and physical significance.
- The list is maintained by the international World Heritage Programme administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 UNESCO member states which are elected by the General Assembly.
- Each World Heritage Site remains part of the legal territory of the state wherein the site is located and UNESCO considers it in the interest of the international community to preserve each site.
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
- It was formed in 1945, is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) based in Paris.
- It works for achieving peace and security by promoting international collaboration through educational, scientific, and cultural reforms to increase universal respect for justice, the rule of law, and human rights along with fundamental freedom proclaimed in the United Nations Charter.
- It has 195 member states and ten associate members. India is a founding member of the Organisation.
Role of UNESCO in context of World Heritage Sites
- It seeks to encourage the identification, protection and preservation of cultural and natural heritage around the world considered to be of outstanding value to humanity.
- This is embodied in an international treaty called the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, adopted by UNESCO in 1972.
- The most significant feature of the 1972 World Heritage Convention is that it links together the concepts of nature conservation and the preservation of cultural properties in a single document.
- The Convention recognizes how people interact with nature, and the fundamental need to preserve the balance between the two.
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Source: IE
