Context:
India has nominated the “Maratha Military Landscapes of India” to be included in the UNESCO World Heritage List for 2024-25.
Details:
- The Maratha Military Landscapes of India, which were built from the 17 th to the 19 th centuries, are a vivid embodiment of an original system of fortifications and military operations that were derived by the Maratha governors.
- This nomination includes twelve discrete entities, the renowned Hill Forts like Salher, Sivneri Lohagad. Rajgadd, Ginhee forts formulated.
- Also, it encompasses Hill-forest fort of Pratapgad hill fort of Panhala Coastal forts at Vijaydurg and Khanderi islets as Suvarnadurg,.
- These elements spread from various geographical and physiographic regions, together making a statement of the dexterity that Maratha rulers possessed as military men.
Military Landscapes of the Marathas:
- In this regard, the military Maratha is a landscape that was set up during the rule of Chhatrapati Shivaji around 1670 CE, and remained dominant in this whole region until 1818.
- With this military terrain in its background, there were several strategic utilisation of the landscape by the Maratha army resulting in its development using some innovative guerrilla warfare methods.
- The first two successfully worked and were crucial in combating the daunting powers of the Mughal Empire on land and the European coastal navies at sea.
- In the history of India’s military acts, there is something positional for Maratha Empire’s strategy and its approach to warfare can be considered as an instructive one which in principle deserves the attention by demonstration all over because it is unique and extraordinary.
- This recognition has resulted in the nomination of the Maratha military landscape for listing under UNESCO’s prestigious list of World Heritage sites.
- The nomination process involves two categories – Cultural and Natural criteria – which highlight the historical and strategic significance of the Maratha military landscape.
- The Maratha Military Landscapes in India are classified under the cultural criteria category for potential inclusion in the World Heritage List.
- In order to be considered for this prestigious list, cultural sites must meet six criteria (i to vi), while natural sites must fulfil four criteria (vii to x).
- The Maratha Military Landscapes of India have been put forward for nomination based on three distinct cultural criteria.
- The first criterion emphasises their ability to provide a remarkable and unparalleled testament to a cultural tradition or civilization, whether that culture is still thriving or has become extinct.
- The second criterion highlights their status as an exceptional representation of a particular kind of structure, architectural or technological ensemble, or landscape that showcases important milestones in human history.
- Lastly, the third criterion recognizes their direct or tangible connection to events, living traditions, ideas, beliefs, or artistic and literary works that hold exceptional universal significance.
About United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO):
- UNESCO is a specialised agency of the United Nations that was established in 1945 and is headquartered in Paris.
- Its main goal is to promote peace and security through international collaboration in the areas of education, science, and culture.
- It has 194 member states and India is one of its founding members.
India’s several sites that have been recognized by UNESCO.
- India has a total of 42 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, with 34 being Cultural sites, 7 being Natural sites, and 2 being mixed sites.
- Recently, Shantiniketan and the temples of Belur, Halebid, and Somananthpura were added to the World Heritage list, bringing India’s total to 42.
Source: PIB
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