Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s Legacy Gets UNESCO Honour - 12 Forts Included In The UNESCO World Heritage List - video Dailymotion

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00:00In a time when empires rose with wealth and fell with greed,

00:03there was one king who built his dream not on gold but on grit.

00:08Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, a name that still echoes through Maharashtra's hills,

00:13valleys and coastlines. He was not born into power but he created it. With limited men,

00:19minimal resources and surrounded by mighty enemies, he dared to dream of Swarajja,

00:24a free and self-ruled nation. But Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's genius wasn't just in dreaming,

00:31it was in planning. His guerrilla war tactics known as Ghanimi Kawa left even the most powerful

00:36Mughal generals baffled. He attacked fast, retreated faster and always chose the battlefield that

00:43favoured him. Yet Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was more than a warrior, he was a visionary ruler and

00:48an able administrator and also a master strategist. His governance was people-centric. Religious

00:54freedom, women's safety, justice for all, these weren't just promises but they were his policies.

01:00But what really held this young empire together was something that still stands tall today and

01:06those are his forts. Each fort wasn't just a structure, it was a nerve center of administration,

01:11a vault of secrets and a watchtower of warning and also a symbol of resistance.

01:16And to design these forts, Chhatrapati trusted brilliant minds like Hiroji Indolkar,

01:21his chief architect who turned hills into fortresses. He relied on Morobanta Pingali,

01:25his first Peshwa, who ensured the planning and logistics of each fort. And engineers like

01:30Yesaji Kang, who brought live ideas that seemed impossible for that era. Today, 12 of those forts

01:36spread across Maharashtra and even into Tamil Nadu have been added to the UNESCO World Heritage list.

01:42A recognition that these are not ruins but monuments of courage, discipline and match strategy.

01:49Let's begin our journey with the very heart of Chhatrapati's kingdom,

01:53the Raigad Fort. This was where Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was crowned as the Chhatrapati in 1674.

01:59Nestled in the Sayadris, Raigad wasn't just a fort, it was the capital. From its public court to its

02:05market streets, everything was built to sustain a kingdom in the mountain. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj also

02:11passed away here, making Raigad not just the administrative core but also the emotional core

02:17of the Maratha Empire. Before Raigad, there was Rajgad Fort. Chhatrapati's first capital with its

02:24high ramparts, secret exits and natural defences, Rajgad became a launchpad for many of his early

02:30missions. He spent over 25 years over here planning, learning and building the foundation of Swaraj.

02:36Off the coast, Maharashtra, on a rocky island, stands the mighty Sindhudurga fort. Built on the

02:42Arabian Sea, this fort was a naval base that protected the coastline. It has narrow entrances

02:47to fool enemies and even houses. A rare Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj temple is also placed on this fort.

02:53Now, let's move on to the highest fort in Maharashtra, Saler fort. Towering at 5175 feet, it was here that

03:00the Marathas achieved a historic victory, defeating the Mughals in a direct battle. This wasn't a

03:06guerrilla warfare, this was a face-to-face battle in which the Marathas fought. Saler became a turning

03:12point, proving they were just not mountain fighters but they were also empire builders. Then comes the

03:18Shivneeri fort, the birthplace of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Located near Jinnar, it has a triangular

03:24layout, seven fortified gates and steep natural cliffs, perfect for its protection. It was here

03:30that Jeeza, by his mother, raised him with tales of Ram, Krishna and Velod. Planting the seed of

03:35Swaraja in his young mind, Lohagad fort is the next one. Stands strong with massive iron-like walls,

03:41along with the Visapur fort, it protected crucial trade routes and acted as a gateway between the

03:47coastal Konkad and the Deccan plateau. Even today, it's a favourite among trekkers. Walking the same

03:53paths where history was once made. Far away from the land, Khanderi fort sits like a lonely warrior

04:00in the sea near Aleba. Built to counter the Siddhis of Janjira, it was a part of Chhatrapati's bold

04:06maritime vision. With this fort, he proved that Maratha power could expand into the sea. An

04:12extraordinary feat at that time. No story of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is complete without the

04:17Pratapgad fort. Hidden in the dense western Ghats, it's here that Chhatrapati faced Afzal Khan,

04:22a Mughal general sent to crush him. In a dramatic encounter filled with deceit,

04:27Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj defended himself using a hidden armor and a tiger claw weapon,

04:32killing Afzal Khan and securing a legendary victory. Pratapgad is not just a fort, it's a symbol of

04:38strategy, courage and destiny. Then comes the Suvarna Durga fort, also called the Golden Fort.

04:44Located on an island of the Koken coast, this fort was central to shipbuilding and naval defense.

04:51It highlights Chhatrapati's unmatched foresight, building a navy when almost everyone felt that

04:57it was impossible. The next fort is the Panala fort near Kolhapur, which is another gem. Though it

05:02predates Chhatrapati, he understood its value and captured it. Later, it became the stronghold of

05:08Rani Tara bhai, Chhatrapati's daughter-in-law who bravely led the Maratha resistance after his death.

05:14The fort's long walls and panoramic views speak of battle fought and legacies carried forward.

05:19Then there is the Vijaya Durga fort, known as the East-In Gibraltar. Built right on the Koken coast,

05:25it had undersea walls and secret docks. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj personally hoisted

05:30the saffron flag here, marking it as a sight and victory and pride. And finally, now we reach Jinji,

05:36a fort in Tamil Nadu. A stunning example of how far the Maratha influence had spread.

05:42Its three hills interconnected by walls made it almost impossible to conquer.

05:48When the Mughals occupied large parts of Maharashtra, Raja Ram, who was Chhatrapati's son,

05:53made Jinji his temporary capital. Even Aurangzeb could not break its spirit. Together,

05:58these 12 forts form a military landscape unlike any in the world. And UNESCO finally agrees to it.

06:05But for us, they have always been more than monuments. They are living testaments to a man

06:10who created a nation from scratch. A man who believed that power must be earned and not inherited.

06:16That respect must be given to all. Friend Aurifo. And that even the strongest empire is nothing

06:22without discipline, purpose and vision. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj wasn't just the king,

06:27he was an idea. This is Gaurang Kadam from Lokmat Times signing off.

Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s Legacy Gets UNESCO Honour - 12 Forts Included In The UNESCO World Heritage List

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