Hyderabad: Great excitement filled the air as the Telangana Maratha Mandal and the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maratha Navayuvak Mandal celebrated a major achievement. UNESCO has named 12 sites linked to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj as World Heritage Sites. These locations, now called the “Maratha Military Landscapes of India,” showcase the bravery of the Maratha Empire and India’s architectural skill.
Prakash Patil, leading the Maratha Mandal, and Dilip Jagtap, the General Secretary, along with Madan Jadhav, head of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maratha Navayuvak Mandal, expressed immense pride. They believe this recognition honors not just Maharashtra, but all of India. Congratulations flowed to everyone involved in this historical acknowledgment by UNESCO. This decision came during the 47th World Heritage Committee meeting.
The groups pointed out that the world will now learn about Chhatrapati Shivaji’s strategic skills and the remarkable architecture of these forts. The recognized sites include 11 forts in Maharashtra: Salher Fort (Nashik), Panhala Fort (Kolhapur), Shivneri Fort and Rajgarh Fort (Pune), Khanderi Fort, and Rajyagarh Fort (Raigad), Pratapgarh Fort (Satara), Suvarnagiri Fort (Ratnagiri), Vijaydurg Fort and Sindhudurg Fort (Sindhudurg). Additionally, Jinji Fort in Villapuram, Tamil Nadu is part of this list. These forts, crafted to blend with their surroundings, now hold the prestigious World Heritage status.
Maratha leaders highlighted that these forts represent the Maratha fight for freedom against Mughal rule. They expect this recognition to spread awareness of Chhatrapati Shivaji’s military vision and enhance tourism in India.
