Maratha Military Landscapes — 44th World Heritage Site
In July 2025 a serial cluster of twelve Shivaji-era forts entered the UNESCO World Heritage List as the 'Maratha Military Landscapes of India' — the country's 44th inscribed property. Eleven forts stand in Maharashtra and one, Gingee, lies far south in Tamil Nadu; together they show how the Marathas turned hilltops, forests, plateaus, shorelines and sea-islands into one linked system of defence between the 17th and 19th centuries. As of mid-2026 India still holds 44 sites, with Sarnath its pending bid for a 45th.
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