In a celebration of Maratha pride, Maharashtra Cultural Affairs Minister Ashish Shelar will travel to Paris February 11-16 to receive the official UNESCO certificate for 12 forts tied to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s Hindavi Swarajya. The inscription came via UNESCO’s 47th session on July 11, 2025, capping a 1.5-year odyssey.
These ‘Maratha Military Landscapes of India’ showcase Shivaji’s unparalleled strategy for protection, rule, and prosperity amid invasions.
Encompassing Raigad, Rajgad, Pratapgad, Panhala, Shivneri, Lohagad, Salher, Sindhudurg, Suvarnadurg, Vijaydurg, Khanderi in Maharashtra, and Gingee in Tamil Nadu, they now shine internationally.
At UNESCO headquarters, the delegation honors the moment and Ambedkar’s bust before strategic sessions with the Director-General, experts, and diplomat Vishal Sharma. Building on February 2025’s presentation, focus shifts to nominating Konkan art, coastal forts, Pandharpur Wari, Ganeshotsav, and Dahi Handi.
Paris museum visits will yield lessons for Mumbai’s Bandra Maharashtra Museum, honing exhibit design, management, and tech use. Shelar views this as a pivotal step in elevating Maharashtra’s intangible and tangible treasures worldwide.