Daily News Analysis

Maratha Military Landscapes

stylish_lining

Maratha Military Landscapes

Why in News?

  • Maratha Military Landscapes have been selected as India’s nomination for the UNESCO World Heritage List for 2024-25.

  • The landscapes were included in the Tentative List of World Heritage Sites in 2021.

About Maratha Military Landscapes

  • Significance:

    • Represent exceptional fortification systems envisioned by the Maratha rulers.

    • Reflect the military ingenuity of the Marathas in integrating the natural landscape with military architecture.

  • Cultural Criteria: Nominated under the Cultural Heritage category.

  • Geographic Scope: Includes forts spread across:

    • Sahyadri mountain ranges.

    • Konkan Coast.

    • Deccan Plateau.

    • Eastern Ghats.

Historical Context

  • Inception:

    • The military ideology originated during the reign of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in the 17th century.

    • Continued under the Peshwa rule till 1818 CE.

  • Key Contributions:

    • Emphasis on tactical positioning of forts for defense and administration.

    • Utilization of natural terrains for fort construction.

Key Features of Forts in Maratha Military Landscapes

Hill Forts

  • Salher: Site of the 1672 battle between Marathas and Mughals.

  • Shivneri: Birthplace of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

  • Lohgad: Located near Bhaje Buddhist caves.

  • Raigad: Permanent capital of Shivaji.

  • Rajgad:

    • Formerly known as Murumdev.

    • Recognized as the first political base of Hindavi Swarajya.

    • One of 17 forts retained by Shivaji under the Treaty of Purandar (1665).

Island Forts

  • Sindhudurg: Built on an islet in the Arabian Sea.

  • Suvarnadurg: Presumed to be constructed by Bijapur rulers.

  • Khanderi: Built by Shivaji in 1679 CE to monitor Siddis at Murud-Janjira.

Hill-Forest Forts

  • Pratapgad: Scene of the famous battle with Afzal Khan.

Hill-Plateau Forts

  • Panhala Fort: Capital of the Maratha state under Tarabai.

Coastal Forts

  • Vijay Durg:

    • Captured by Shivaji from Adil Shah of Bijapur.

    • Known as the Eastern Gibraltar for its strategic position.

Maratha Empire at a Glance

  • Foundation: Began with Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in 1674.

  • Dominance: Spanned large parts of India in the 17th and 18th centuries.

  • Capitals: Raigad, Gingee, Satara, Pune.

  • Administrative System:

    • Ashtapradhan Council: A council of eight ministers, including Peshwa (Prime Minister), Amatya (Finance), and Senapati (Commander-in-Chief).

  • Revenue Policies:

    • Sardeshmukhi: A 10% levy on revenue.

    • Chauth: 25% of total revenue from neighboring territories.

Other World Heritage Sites in Maharashtra

Cultural:

  • Ajanta Caves, Ellora Caves, Elephanta Caves.

  • Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus.

  • Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles of Mumbai.

Natural:

  • Western Ghats (spanning Maharashtra, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Goa, and Gujarat).

About UNESCO World Heritage Sites

  • Definition: Areas or objects with outstanding universal value inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List under the World Heritage Convention, 1972.

  • Categories:

    • Cultural: Sites with historical, artistic, or scientific significance.

    • Natural: Sites with exceptional natural beauty or ecological importance.

    • Mixed: Combining both cultural and natural significance.

  • India’s Contribution:

    • 42 World Heritage Sites:

      • 34 Cultural, 7 Natural, 1 Mixed.

Conclusion

The nomination of Maratha Military Landscapes for UNESCO World Heritage status underscores the historical, architectural, and cultural importance of Maratha forts. Inclusion in the list will aid in the preservation and promotion of these monumental sites, showcasing India's rich heritage on a global stage


 

Maharashtra Scraps Hindi as Compulsory Third Language

The Maharashtra government recently scrapped its Government Resolutions (GRs) that mandated Hindi as a compulsory third language from Grades 1 to 5 in Marathi and English medium schools. While the
Share It

River Pollution in India

The Delhi government's focus on cleaning up the Yamuna River is part of a larger national effort to rejuvenate the Ganga River and its tributaries, in alignment with the Namami Gange Programme
Share It

Infrastructure Failures

The recent collapse of the Mahisagar River Bridge in Vadodara, which tragically claimed the lives of 20 people, underscores the growing concern over India's infrastructure quality. Similar
Share It

Special Intensive Revision (SIR)

The Supreme Court (SC) is currently reviewing the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) process for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, suggesting that Aadhaar,
Share It

GM Crop

In ongoing trade talks, the United States is advocating for India to open its agriculture market to genetically modified (GM) crops. However, India has firmly rejected this proposal, citing concer
Share It

India-Brazil Relations

India and Brazil share a growing and dynamic bilateral relationship that has evolved across various sectors since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1948. Their Strategic Partnership, formali
Share It

Legislative Productivity

The Lok Sabha Speaker’s remarks about the need to enhance legislative productivity reflect growing concerns about the diminishing effectiveness of India’s legislative bodies. The chall
Share It

Economic Growth

India's rapid urbanization is set to dramatically shape its future. The transformation of its cities holds immense potential for economic growth, but it also brings significant challenges. As
Share It

Global South

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Brazil from July 2-9, 2025, for the BRICS summit, was not only his longest international visit in 11 years but also marked a significant diplomatic outr
Share It

Maharashtra’s Special Public Security Bill, 2024

The Maharashtra Assembly has recently passed the Special Public Security Bill, 2024, aimed at combating “urban Maoism” and left-wing extremism in the state. The Bill criminalizes activ
Share It

Newsletter Subscription


ACQ IAS
ACQ IAS