Snippets of Information
Location - Geographical areas / Infrastructure in Maharashtra
* 7 Oct 2025
Maratha Military Landscapes of India inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage List as India’s 44th Entry
At the 47th Session of the World Heritage Committee, India’s official nomination for 2024-25 cycle, 'Maratha Military Landscapes of India' got inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List,
becoming India’s 44th property to receive this recognition. The
announcement was made during the 47th session of the World Heritage
Committee in Paris.
Spanning from the 17th to 19th centuries CE, this extraordinary network
of twelve forts demonstrates the strategic military vision and
architectural ingenuity of the Maratha Empire.
whc.unesco.org/en/list/1739/maps
Spread across the states of Maharashtra (11) and Tamil Nadu (1), the
selected sites, include Salher, Shivneri, Lohgad, Khanderi, Raigad,
Rajgad, Pratapgad, Suvarnadurg, Panhala, Vijaydurg, and Sindhudurg in
Maharashtra along with Gingee Fort in Tamil Nadu.
Located across a range of diverse terrains - from coastal outposts to
hilltop strongholds - these forts reflect a sophisticated understanding
of geography and strategic defence planning. Together, they form a
cohesive military landscape that highlights the innovation and regional
adaptation of fortification traditions in India.
Salher, Shivneri, Lohgad, Raigad, Rajgad and Gingee are situated in
hilly terrains and are therefore known as hill forts.
Pratapgad nestled
within dense woods is classified as a hill-forest fort.
Panhala
located on a plateaued hill, is a hill-plateau fort.
Vijaydurg
positioned along the shoreline is a notable coastal fort
Khanderi, Suvarnadurg and Sindhudurg surrounded by the sea, are
recognized as island forts.
Source: Sunil Kumar Tiwari , pib.gov.in/PressRelease, Ministry of Culture, 11 Jul 2025
Salher Fort, Maharashtra (5,141 feet)
Located in the Satana tehsil of Nashkil district, on the second-highest
peak in Western Ghats, it is one of the highest forts in Maharashtra. It
was the site of the legendary Battle of Salher in 1672. The fort has
massive stone constructions, long stairways, temples, and water
cisterns.
Shivneri Fort, Maharashtra
Located near Junnar in Pune district, Shivneri Fort, it is the
birthplace of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj where he spent his early
childhood. The fort features fortified walls, seven entrance gates,
moats, hidden entrances, strong bastions and the temple of Goddess
Shivai, after whom Shivaji was named.
Lohgad Fort, Maharashtra (3,389 feet)
Located in the Sahyadri range near Lonavala southwest of Visapur Fort,
Lohagad Fort literally means. "Iron Fort." It is surrounded by lakes on
all sides. Vinchu Kata (scorpion tail) is a narrow, elongated extension
of the fort wall. There are 4 Darwajas (gates) - Ganesh Darwaja, Narayan
darwaja, Hanuman darwaja and Maha Darwaja.
Lohagad Fort was built over centuries by various dynasties. The initial
construction is attributed to the Lohtamia dynasty in the 10th century
CE and later passed into the hands of Chalukyas, Rashtrakutas, Yadavas,
Bahamanis, Nizams, Mughals, and finally the Marathas. Chhatrapati
Shivaji strengthened the fort after capturing it in 1648 and used it to
store all the treasures and loot from his conquest in Surat.
Khanderi Fort, Maharashtra
Khanderi Fort is built on an island near Alibaug and was commissioned by
Shivaji Maharaj in 1660 to control sea
routes along the Konkan coast. This fort features a lighthouse, cannons,
and underwater barriers. ALong with Underi, this fort played a
significant role in Maratha naval
supremacy.
Raigad Fort, Maharashtra (2,700 feet)
This fort located in the Sahyadri hills was the capital of Chhatrapati
Shivaji's Maratha empire. Featured in this fort are palaces, watch
towers, granaries. The samadhi of Chhatrapati Shivaji is located
at this fort.
Rajgad Fort, Maharashtra
Rajagad Fort which literally means 'ruling fort' is considered the "King
of forts" and was the capital of the Maratha Empire before
Raigad. Covering the Murumbadevi hill, this fort consists of four
parts - Padmavati Machi, Suvela Machi, Sanjeevani Machi and Balekilla
Machi. Machi ( a plateau) means a wing or an extension.
Pratapgad Fort, Maharashtra (1,080 feet)
This fort situated in Satara in the Western Ghats was the location of
the Battle of Pratapgad (1659) where Afzal Khan was defeated. This
fort built in two levels has two entrances and features the Mahadev and
Bhavani temples.
Suvarnadurg Fort, Maharashtra
This island fort known as the 'Golden Fort' (Suvarna - gold) is
constructed off the coast of Dapoli in Ratnagiri district. There
used to be a tunnel connecting this fort to the Kanakadurga fort on land
adjoining the Harnai port.
Sindhudurg Fort, Maharashtra
The fort stands on the island of Khurte in the Arabian Sea, off the
Konkan coast. It was constructed in 1664-67 by Hiroji Indulkar, the
chief military engineer of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, to provide a
secure base for maritime operations against the Portuguese, the British,
and the local Siddis. Sindhudurg is known for its skillfully
camouflaged main entrance, which is very difficult to spot from the
outside. Within the fort is a temple, one of the very few dedicated to
Shivaji Maharaj himself.
Panhala Fort, Maharashtra (1,312 ft)
It is also known as Panhalgad, Panhalla or Panalla. It means 'house of
serpents', which could be because of the winding structure of the fort.
This fort built by the Shilahara ruler Bhoja II (between 1178 and 1209
CE) passed through several rulers and Chhatrapathi Shivaji captured the
fort from Bijapur in 1659 only to lose it again to Adil Shah II of
Bijapur. He once again got control of the fort in 1673. During the
fight with Adil Shah, Shivaji escaped from this fort by concealing
himself in a basket of sweets.
Andhar Bavadi (Hidden Well) built by Adil Shah is one the main features
of this fort. This three storied well served to provide fresh
water. Another very useful feature of this is fort is Ambarkhana, a
granary with Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati Kothis to store grains. Teen
Darwaja is the main entrance to the fort. The other gates are Char
Darwaja and Wagh Darwaja. There are several temple within - the Ambabai
temple where Shivaji Maharaj prayed before any major expedition and the
Mahakali temple.
Saint Samarth Ramdas visited his disciple Shivaji in this fort and blessed him.
Vijaydurg Fort, Maharashtra
This fort was built by Raja Bhoj II of the Shilahar dynasty. In 1653
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, seized control of the fort from Adilshahi
rulers and changed its name from “Gheria” (after the nearby village of
Girye) to Vijaydurg, meaning “Fort of Victory.” This massive fort has a
triple layered fortification, thus making it very strong and protective.
A hidden undersea tunnel served as an escape route during attacks.
Gingee Fort, Tamilnadu
Gingee Fort located in the Villupuram district of Tamil Nadu served as
the stronghold of several dynasties, such as the Vijayanagar Nayaks, the
Bijapur Sultans, the Mughals, the Marathas, the French, and the
English.
Perched atop three rocky outcrops - Rajagiri, Krishnagiri, and
Chandrayandurg - the complex is made up of interconnected citadels
fortified with ramparts and deep moats that create a nearly seamless
triangle of defence. Noteworthy interior structures include the
multi-storey Kalyana Mahal (marriage hall), granaries, prison cells, and
a temple dedicated to the local deity Chenjiamman. It has reservoirs
and natural springs, which were critical in sustaining the fort during
prolonged sieges.
Sources:
* UNESCO Adds India’s 12 Maratha Forts To Heritage List - See Which Ones
by Devyani * * * * Nautiyal, news.abplive.com, 13 Jul 2025
* maharashtratourism.gov.in
* From the Sahyadris to the sea: The 12 Maratha fortresses in UNESCO
World Heritage List by Kartika Jamdar, The Indian Express, July 18, 2025
* History of Lohagad Fort Lonavala, rhythmhospitality.com
* Lohagad Fort Trek by Nitish Shitole, acs.dypvp.edu.in, June, 29 2022
* wikipedia.org
|
