🔴 Breaking!

New inscription on the @Nensco #Worldheritage List: Martha Military Landscapes of India, #India 🇮🇳.

➡ https://t.co/setyyvu3st #47WHC pic.twitter.com/mepa6rwlrx

– UNESCO 🏛 #DUCATION #SCIENCES #Culture 🇺🇳 (@NESCO) July 11, 2025

In a post on x, prime minister modi said the mararatha empire is associated with “Good Governance, Military Strength, Cultural Pride and Emphasis on social welfare”, and the “Great [Maratha] Rules inspire us with their refusal to bow to any injustice “.

“I call upon everyone to go visit these four and learn about the rich history of the maratha empire,” Modi Said. This is a list of the forts in the unosco world heritage list, and their history in short.

1. Raigad

Once the capital of the Martha Empire because of its strategic location and colossal size, raigad fort is located in the north konkan region of Maharastra. The fort is surrounded by deep valleys, and access is only through a steep pathway in front.

The fort has special significance in Marath History because it was here in 1674 Ce, that Shivaji Maharaj was crowned and he putle of chhatrapati. Subsequently, The Control of the Fort Passed to the Mughals (1689 C), Followed by The Ahmadnagar Sultanate (1707 C), before returning to the merathas (1727 CE Approximately). The british eventually Took Control of the fort in 1818 Ce.

Within raigad fort were located royal palaces, a royal mint, 300 stone houses, office, a garrison for soldiers, a market, water reservoirs, and gardens.

2. Pratapgad

Built by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in 1656, Pratapgad Fort is situated in the rugged terrain

The fort is famous for its defensive architecture, which is regarded as a sign of strategic genius. The Upper Fort at Pratapgad Served as An Observation Defense Point with Sturdy, Towering Walls. The lower fort, which was constructed along the slope of the hill, was crucial to defending the buildings inside the fort.

3. Panhala

Panhala Fort Near Kolhapur was designed to be a self-sustaining settlement. Originally Built in the 12th century Ce by the shilaharas, a feudatory dynasty of the rashtrakutas who ultimately found their independent kingdom, the fort was Occupied by the yadavas of the decan, Shahi Kingdom of Bijapur, and Finally the Marthas.

Panhala is Among the livest of the Mararatha Forts, with a perimeter of 14 kilomets. It was a formidable military fortress with robust walls, hidden passages, basics, secret supplies of water, and underground granaries to cover with a prolonged siege.

Panhala Fort is the site of the Famous Battle of Pawankhind of July 1660, which is remembered by the people of Maharashtra for the heroic stand of the greetara baji prabhu dehpande someho, along with. Soldiers, engaged a large force force of the adil shahi sultanate as shivaji maharaj escaped from the enemy.

4. Shivneri

Shivneri Fort, Located Near Junnar In Pune District, is the birth of Shivaji Maharaj. The antiquity of the fort, triangular in shape and surrounded by cliffs, data back to the 6th century ce, when it was built as a strategic military outpost.

Shivneri was designed to withstand a prolonged siege. The seven-oil defenses of the fort, intended to block enemy advances at multiple levels, are Among its most striking aspects. The attackers would have to fight an uphill battle because of the seven enormous gates served as a protective barrier.

Within the fort were the ganga-jamuna springs, which flow even today, and water reservoirs like badami talav, which encased a steady supply of water.

5. Lohagad

Located near lonavala at an elevation of more than 3,000 feet, the “iron fort” was originally built by the loatamia dynasty in the 10th century ce, and subsently possed into the possession of the chalukyas, the rashtrakutra. Yadavas, The Baahmanis, The Nizam Shahis, The Mughals, and eventually the Marathas.

Shivaji Maharaj Took the fort in 1648 but was forced to give it up to the mughals in 1665

Lohagad Fort is known for its four huge gates, namely the ganesh darwaja, narayan darwaja, Hanuman darwaja, and maha darwaja. The “Vinchukada”, or “Scorpion’s Tail”, is one of Lohagad’s most striking features, a long, narrow, fortified spur that extends from the main fort.

6. Salher

Salher Fort is located in Satana Taluka of Nashik District, near the village of Salher. It is a significant landmark of the sahayadri mountain range, the highst fort in Maharastra and one of the highst in the western ghats, located at a height 1,567 metres (5,141 feet).

At different times in its history, Salher has been known as Gavalgarh and Sultangad. It is the site of the pivotal open-field battle of Salher (1672 C), in which Mararatha forces under moropant pingle, the first peshwa of the Mararatha Empire, and Prataprao Gujar, the commander of the marratha army. Defeated the mughals LED by Diler Khan, Ikhlas Khan, and Baahlol Khan.

This was the first Such Battlefield Victory of the Marrathas under Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Over the Mughals.

7. Sindhudurg

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 Base For Maritime Operations Against the Portuguese, The British, and the LOSAL. Siddis.

Sindhudurg is known for its skillfully camouflaged main entrance, which is very different to spot from the outide. Within the fort is a temple, one of the very few dedicated to shivaji maharaj himself.

8. Suvarnadurg

The “golden fortress” is another island fortress built by shivaji maharaj off harnai port in ratnagiri district. Suvarnadurg has a sister fortress on the mainland know as kanakadurga; The two structures are used to be connected by a tunnel, which is now unusable.

Initially Built by the Adil Shahi Dynasty, Suvarnadurg was captured and Rebuilt by Shivaji in 1660. As an important base of the maratha navy, it was not only a foreer a shiped yard.

During Sambhaji’s Reign, when the commander of the fort tried to the siddis, kanhoji angre, then only 18 years old, stopped him and arrested the traitor. As a reward, sambhaji made him the commander of Suvarnadurg. Kanhoji anger would grow up to becom of the choice of the maratha navy, and one of the most renowned admirals in Indian history.

9. Vijaydurg

One of the oldest of the maratha forts, the “fort of Victory” on the Arabian sea coast in present-day sindhudurg district was originally built by the shilahahar dynasty in the late 12th century. It was then known as Gheria.

The fort was captured by chhatrapati shivaji maharaj in 1653, who renamed it after the Hindu Solar year, which time then extant, “vijay”. Vijaydurg would later be the site of fierce naval battles with the British East India Company, which would finally conquer it in 1756 after Several Failed Atemppts.

A striking feature of vijaydurg is a hidden understanda tunnel, 200 metres long, connecting the fort with the mainland. At a short distance from the fort, up the waghotan river, is the rameshwar dockyard, which was used by the maratha navy to build and repair its warshes.

10. Khanderi

Khanderi, a small island off the coast of alibaug, was fortified by chhatrapati shivaji maharaj in 1679 to Secure Marartha Control over the coastal whers.

After Shivaji Maharaj Sent 300 Soldiers and 300 Labourers to Build Defenses on the uninhabited island, the English, The Portuguese, and the siddis, all the siddis, all the siddis. Shivaji’s Admiral Daulatkhan succeeded in reinforcing the island and instablishing artillery posts Despite English Naval Attacks and the effort by the siddis to stop him.

In time, Khanderi would become a key maritime outpost, reflecting shivaji’s strategy to challenge foreign naval dominance and protect martha along the konkan coast.

11. Rajgad

The “king of forts” was captured by the young shivaji maharaj in 1647, and served as his capital for 26 years before Raigad. This was where Rajaram I, the son of Shivaji Maharaj, was Born, and where his first wife, saibai, passed away. It was also the fort where shivaji maharaj planned many of his military campaigns and safuguarded the Wealth from the surpaign of 1664.

The fort houses pretend Architectural marvels like the Padmavati Machi, which residence of Shivaji Maharaj, and Had the Padmavati Temple. To the west stood the three-laired strongstrongani machi, a stunning example of military engineering that was intended to repel enemy invasions.

12. Gingee/ Jinji (Tamil Nadu)

Gingee fort is located in the Villupuram District of Tamil Nadu and is considering one of the most formidable fortresses of Peninsular India. Like many other forts, gingee has served as the stronghold of several dynasties, such as the vijayanagar nayaks, the bijapur sultans, the mughals, the markethas, the forest, and the engine.

Perched Atop Three Rocky Outcrops – Rajagiri, Krishnagiri, and Chandrayandurg – The Complex is Made Up in Interconnected Citadels Fortfie with Ramparts and Deep Motes A Nearly Seme Noted. Defense.

Notworthy 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 critical in sustaining the fort during prolonged sieges.

The writer is an intern with the Indian express