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Time of India
4 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Wasn't easy to get Maratha Landscapes inscribed, so victory sweeter: India's envoy to UNESCO
A voluminous dossier, a dedicated coffee-table book, and a spirited campaign helped India navigate challenges, including a "deferral" recommendation, to earn the inscription of the ' Maratha Military Landscapes ' on the UNESCO World Heritage List . On Friday, the World Heritage Committee (WHC) at its 47th session held in Paris, inscribed India's serial nomination consisting of 12 forts, representing extraordinary fortification and military system envisioned by the Maratha rulers, on the coveted list. While the journey from the nomination to the inscription wasn't easy for Team India, sustained efforts led to a crowning triumph at UNESCO. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Villas For Sale in Dubai Might Surprise You Villas In Dubai | Search Ads Get Rates Undo Ambassador and Permanent Representative of India to UNESCO, Vishal V Sharma, delivered the statement on New Delhi's behalf after the inscription was announced. "This is a historic day, not only for India, but especially for Marathi people all over the world. The rich cultural heritage of the Marathas has been honoured by the recognition of its Outstanding Universal Value by the international community," he said. Live Events In a telephonic interview with PTI shortly after delivering the remarks at the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, Sharma shared India's success story and what it took to earn the prestigious recognition. "It was excellent teamwork, but it was not very easy to get the Maratha Military Landscapes inscribed," he recalled. "I thank the government of Maharashtra, the Indian Culture Ministry, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), and the Ministry of External Affairs. We had to do coordination with 20 different countries, and it's an excellent example of teamwork," Sharma told PTI over the phone. Sharma said the Indian nomination had received a "deferral recommendation" by the advisory body, ICOMOS. A deferral recommendation means the advisory body does not want it to be inscribed. The Paris-based International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) is one of the key advisory bodies to UNESCO, and its experts visit the nominated sites. He said Team India "pointed out the mistakes, factual errors from the advisory body's side". "It's a technical argument, like you fight it in a court... So, on a video conference with members of 20 countries, we explained to them the technicalities and why it deserves to be on the World Heritage List. We presented our case... and we won the case, so that's why the victory is even sweeter," Sharma said. The proposal was sent to the WHC in January 2024, and the inscription comes after a "rigorous 18-month-long process" involving several technical meetings with the advisory bodies and a visit by the ICOMOS mission to review the sites, the culture ministry said in a statement on Friday. The nomination for the UNESCO tag was for the 2024-25 cycle. The ' Maratha Military Landscapes' was developed between the 17th and 19th centuries. The 12 components of the inscribed property are - Salher Fort, Shivneri Fort, Lohgad, Khanderi Fort, Raigad, Rajgad, Pratapgad, Suvarnadurg, Panhala Fort, Vijay Durg, Sindhudurg in Maharashtra and Gingee Fort in Tamil Nadu. These components, distributed across diverse geographical and physiographic regions, showcase the strategic military powers of the Maratha rule, the Indian officials had earlier said. There are more than 390 forts in Maharashtra, out of which only 12 forts were selected under the Maratha Military Landscapes of India; of these, eight forts are protected by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), the ministry earlier said. Sharma said the advisory body was "primarily concerned" as to what the criteria for selection were, and why not more forts. "Then we had to justify that there was a hierarchy of system, primary, secondary and tertiary forts. And, these 12 were the main ones, and then we explained to various other Member States," he said. The Indian envoy to UNESCO also said, "There isn't much awareness" about the forts in western and southern parts of India vis-a-vis those in Rajasthan. "So, we took this opportunity to promote Maharashtra and Maharashtra tourism also", among the international community. And, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's royal seal 'Raj Mudra' was circulated to explain to them the philosophy of the Marathas --- the well-being of the people, he added. Also, a coffee-table book titled 'Maratha Military Landscapes' was commissioned by the government of Maharashtra and circulated to them, Sharma said. From one perspective, it was a "challenge, and we got an opportunity to talk about our cultural sites", forts beyond Rajasthan, he added. Asked about the size of the nomination dossier, Sharma described it as "massive", adding, "it's a nomination of a lifetime, I must tell you." "Any such dossier runs into 1,000-1,500 pages, and ours is a substantial one, it's like a PhD thesis," he emphasised. After the nomination was sent, "I had given a 61-point action plan to the government of Maharashtra, and one of those was hosting a painting competition for school children in villages, to build awareness, and it was held. The other was the coffee-table book". On other countries' properties being recognised by UNESCO, Sharma said, when one sees the "global diversity" being recognised, it makes you feel very happy." "This is the epitome of culture acting as a unifying force. You feel happy if your property is inscribed, you feel happy if some other country's property is inscribed," he said.
Hindustan Times
4 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Int'l support helps 12 Maratha forts scoop Unesco World Heritage label
India achieved a key cultural and diplomatic victory on Friday as twelve historic Maratha forts were inscribed on the Unesco World Heritage List, overcoming strong opposition from the advisory body that had recommended deferring the nomination. Pratapgad, one of the 12 forts, selected for the Unesco tag. (HT Photo) The 'Maratha Military Landscapes of India' became the country's 44th World Heritage Site following intense debate at the World Heritage Committee session in Paris, where more than a dozen member states rallied behind India's bid, rejecting advice from ICOMOS (International Council on Monuments and Sites). The inscription recognises a strategic defence network developed between the 17th and 19th centuries across present-day Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu. The inscribed forts—Salher, Shivneri, Lohgad, Khanderi Fort, Raigad, Rajgad, Pratapgad, Suvarnadurg, Panhala, Vijaydurg, and Sindhudurg in Maharashtra, along with Gingee Fort in Tamil Nadu—showcase the Marathas' sophisticated military planning across diverse terrains from coastal islands to hilltops. ICOMOS had strongly recommended deferring the nomination, arguing that twelve 'anchor forts' were insufficient to represent the vast Maratha defence system. The advisory body also questioned whether the nomination met criteria for the 'cultural landscape' category and raised concerns about protection levels for smaller forts in buffer zones. As HT reported on Wednesday, ICOMOS advocated for a substantial reconfiguration, potentially in two phases, to better represent the full defensive network. The Indian delegation, led by ambassador Vishal V Sharma, mounted a successful diplomatic response. Mexico initiated support, arguing: 'We think that the state party's response by way of providing extra information has provided the relevance of this property fully.' Greece then proposed the critical amendment for inscription, declaring: 'Based on a thorough assessment, including the identification of factual inaccuracies... Greece has proposed an amendment for the inscription.' Greece emphasised that the forts met criterion (iv) for exceptional military architecture and criterion (vi) for their association with the Maratha philosophy of 'Swarajya' (self-rule), which later influenced India's independence movement. Support quickly expanded, with Ukraine, Lebanon, Kenya, Kazakhstan, St. Vincent & Grenadines, Vietnam, Italy, Zambia, Republic of Korea, Qatar, and Jamaica backing the bid. Lebanon questioned ICOMOS's consistency, stating: 'Given the fact that the property OUV is not debatable, one cannot understand ICOMOS recommendation to defer the nomination.' OUV was a reference to Outstanding Universal Value — a key indicator and requirement for the World Heritage tag. Kazakhstan commended the 'mature and flexible heritage strategy' embodied by the phased approach. When Belgium sought clarification on criterion (vi), Greece responded: 'The 12 fort components are tangible expressions of enduring ideas of self-rule... These forts are central to intergenerational identity transmission... the ideology of Swarajya profoundly shaped the evolution of Indian political consciousness.' Ambassador Sharma called it 'a historic day, not only for India, but especially for the Marathi people all over the world.' He said: 'The Maratha Military Landscapes represent a unique fusion of military innovation, ecological adaptation and architectural excellence shaped by the rugged landscapes of the Sayadris and the indomitable spirit of the Maratha polity.' Sharma dedicated the inscription to the legacy of the empire's founder, saying: 'We dedicate this inscription to the wisdom of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, whose legacy lives on through these Military Landscapes and the work of the Marathas for the well-being of the people.' The Committee emphasised that conservation must remain paramount and required India to submit a maintenance report by December next year. Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis hailed the decision on X as a 'historic, pride-filled, glorious moment' and a 'heartfelt tribute' to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. According to official Unesco documents, India has also decided on its nomination for next year — Sarnath in Varanasi, a proposal that has been gathering dust since 1998
