Pune: The central and state governments have jointly nominated 12 forts for inclusion in UNESCO’s World Heritage Site list under the 'Maratha Military Fort Landscape' category.
A UNESCO committee is scheduled to visit Pune’s iconic forts from September 27 to 30 as part of the evaluation process for the 2024-25 World Heritage nominations.
Among the nominated forts are historical strongholds like Shivneri, Lohagad, Raigad, Suvarnadurg, Panhala, Vijaydurg, Sindhudurg, Salher, Rajgad, Khanderi, Pratapgad, and the Gingee Fort in Tamil Nadu.
These forts were critical military bases during the Maratha Empire's fight against external invaders enemies. The forts have been nominated under the cultural category, which highlights their architectural and historical significance.
Fort-Replica Competitions and Community Engagement
To create awareness and celebrate the nomination, Pune District Collector Dr. Suhas Divase has launched several initiatives, including a fort-replica making competition across the district.
These competitions will take place at both the taluka and district levels during the Ganesh festival. The top prize at the taluka level will be INR 1 lakh, with second and third prizes of INR 50,000 and INR 25,000, respectively.
Villages and schools can each submit one fort replica, and the best five villages will receive grants of INR 50 lakh under the Jan Suvidha and Nagari Suvidha schemes. Taluka-level winners will advance to district-level competitions, where the first-place prize will be INR 5 lakh, followed by INR 2.5 lakh for second place, and INR 1.25 lakh for third.
Fort Awareness Campaign During Ganesh Festival
As part of the promotion, digital boards displaying information about the Maratha forts will be placed in front of public Ganesh mandals in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad. Additionally, contests involving colleges, historical research institutions, and architectural bodies will be held, including architectural documentation competitions.
Dr. Divase emphasized the importance of public participation in these efforts, stating that the awareness generated during the Ganesh festival will play a crucial role in bringing the nomination process to a successful outcome.