**Policy Summary: Inclusion of Maratha Forts in UNESCO World Heritage Site**
On August 4, 2025, the Ministry of Culture announced the inscription of "Maratha Military Landscapes of India" on the UNESCO World Heritage List during the 47th session of the World Heritage Committee in Paris. This property comprises 12 Maratha forts (listed in Annexure I) and has been inscribed under Criteria iv and vi of UNESCO's Operational Guidelines.
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is responsible for the conservation and maintenance of protected monuments and sites, including the provision of amenities. Conservation and maintenance are ongoing processes, with funds allocated based on the needs of the monuments and resource availability.
Funds allocated for conservation and maintenance of Centrally Protected Monuments (CPMs) under the Mumbai Circle over the past three years are as follows:
* 2022-23: ₹15.35 Crores
* 2023-24: ₹15.56 Crores
* 2024-25: ₹12.58 Crores
Currently, 2 properties from Maharashtra and 11 properties from Madhya Pradesh are included in the Tentative List of World Heritage Sites (detailed in Annexure II). No property from Jharkhand is currently featured on this list, which is a mandatory prerequisite for World Heritage nomination.
Annexure I lists the 12 forts included in the Maratha Military Landscape of India serial nomination: Raigad Fort, Rajgad Fort, Shivneri Fort, Pratapgarh Fort, Panhala Fort, Vijaydurg Fort, Lohagad, Salher Fort, Sindhudurg, Suvarndurg, Khanderi Fort (all in Maharashtra) and Gingee Fort (Tamil Nadu).
Annexure II details properties included in the Tentative List from Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra including: The historic ensemble of Orchha, the historic ensemble of Dhamnar, The Gond monuments of Ramnagar, Mandla, The Bhojeshwar Mahadev Temple, Bhojpur, Rock Art Sites of the Chambal Valley, Khooni Bhandara, Burhanpur, Gwalior Fort, serial nomination for Ashokan Edict sites along the Mauryan Routes, serial nomination of Chausath Yogini Temples, serial nomination of Gupta Temples in North India, The PalaceFortresses of the Bundelas, Geoglyphs of Konkan Region of India, serial nomination of Coastal Fortifications along the Konkan Coast.
This information was provided by Union Minister for Culture and Tourism Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat. For further information, contact Sunil Kumar Tiwari at pibcultureatgmaildotcom.
Key Entities Referenced
UNESCO World Heritage List: A list maintained by UNESCO of sites with outstanding universal value.
Maratha Military Landscapes of India: A property comprising 12 Maratha forts, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Paris: Location of UNESCO Headquarters, where the 47th session of the World Heritage Committee was held.
Archaeological Survey of India: An Indian government agency responsible for archaeological research and the conservation and preservation of cultural monuments in the country.
Maharashtra: A state in India where some of the Maratha forts and Geoglyphs of Konkan Region are located.
Madhya Pradesh: A state in India where multiple properties have been included in the Tentative List of World Heritage Sites.
Gajendra Singh Shekhawat: Union Minister for Culture and Tourism who provided information in a written reply in Lok Sabha.
Gingee Fort Villupuam Tamilnadu: One of the Maratha forts in the Maratha Military Landscapes of India, located in Tamil Nadu.
Ministry of Culture
Inclusion of Maratha Forts in UNESCO World
Heritage Site
Posted On: 04 AUG 2025 5:05PM by PIB Delhi
The property titled “Maratha Military Landscapes of India”, comprising 12 Maratha forts, was inscribed on
the UNESCO World Heritage List during the 47th session of the World Heritage Committee held in
UNESCO Headquarters, Paris this year. The list of these forts is enclosed at Annexure I.
The Maratha Military Landscapes of India has been inscribed under Criteria (iv) and (vi) as per UNESCO’s
Operational Guidelines.
Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) takes up conservation and maintenance work of protected monuments
and sites including provision of amenities like drinking water, toilet blocks, pathways and landscaping etc.
throughout the country. Conservation and maintenance of monuments and archaeological sites is a continuous
process and is taken up as per the need of monuments and availability of resources. However, funds are
allocated as per the need of monuments. The details of funds allocated for conservation and maintenance of
CPMs under Mumbai Circle during the last three years are as under:
Sr. No Year Allocation (Rs. in Crores)
1 2022-23 15.35
2 2023-24 15.56
3 2024-25 12.58
Currently, 2 properties from Maharashtra and 11 properties from Madhya Pradesh have been included in the
Tentative List of World Heritage Sites. However, no property from Jharkhand features in the Tentative List.
Inclusion in the Tentative List is a mandatory prerequisite for proceeding with World Heritage nomination.
Details of the properties included in the Tentative List are provided at Annexure II.
This information was given by Union Minister for Culture and Tourism Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in a
written reply in Lok Sabha today.
****
Sunil Kumar Tiwari
pibculture[at]gmail[dot]com
Annexure-I
Forts of Serial Nomination of Maratha Military Landscape of India
Sr No. Name of the Fort District State
1 Raigad fort Raigad Maharashtra
2 Rajgad Fort Pune Maharashtra
3 Shivneri Fort Pune Maharashtra
4 Pratapgarh Fort Satara Maharashtra
5 Panhala Fort Kolhapur Maharashtra6 Vijaydurg Fort Sindhudurg Maharashtra
7 Lohagad Pune Maharashtra
8 Salher Fort Nashik Maharashtra
9 Sindhudurg Sindhudurg Maharashtra
10 Suvarnadurg Ratnagiri Maharashtra
11 Khanderi Fort Raigad Maharashtra
12 Gingee Fort Villupuam Tamilnadu
Annexure-II
Property Included in the Tentative List
Madhya Pradesh
The historic ensemble of
1. Madhya Pradesh 2019 Govt of Madhya Pradesh
Orchha
The historic ensemble of
2. Madhya Pradesh 2024 Govt of Madhya Pradesh
Dhamnar
The Gond monuments of
3. Madhya Pradesh 2024 Govt of Madhya Pradesh
Ramnagar, Mandla
The Bhojeshwar Mahadev
4. Madhya Pradesh 2024 Govt of Madhya Pradesh
Temple, Bhojpur
Rock Art Sites of the Chambal
5. Madhya Pradesh 2024 Govt of Madhya Pradesh
Valley
6. KhooniBhandara, Burhanpur Madhya Pradesh 2024 Govt of Madhya Pradesh
7. Gwalior Fort Madhya Pradesh 2024 Govt of Madhya Pradesh
Bihar, Uttar Pradesh,
Serial nomination for Ashokan
Madhya Pradesh, Delhi,
8. Edict sites along the Mauryan 2025 Govt of Madhya Pradesh
Karnataka, Adhra Pradesh,
Routes
Gujrat
Serial nomination of Chausath Madhya Pradesh, Uttar
9. 2025 Govt of Madhya Pradesh
Yogini Temples Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Odisha
Serial nomination of Gupta Madhya Pradesh, Uttar
10. 2025 Govt of Madhya Pradesh
Temples in North India Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar
The Palace-Fortresses of the
11. Madhya Pradesh 2025 Govt of Madhya Pradesh
Bundelas
Maharashtra
Geoglyphs of Konkan Region
1. Maharashtra 2022 Govt of Maharashtra
of India
Serial nomination of Coastal
2. Fortifications along the Maharashtra 2024 ASI and Govt. of Maharashtra
Konkan Coast(Release ID: 2152148)