Won a UNESCO award, so what?

Earlier this month Ashish Shelar Maharashtrarsquos cultural affairs minister travelled to France to formally receive the UNESCO World Heritage certificate which recognised the 12 Maratha forts under the title lsquoMaratha Military Landscapes of Indiarsquo that were inscribed during the 47th session of UNESCO held on July 11 2025 The ceremony took place at UNESCOrsquos headquarters in Paris The handing over of the certificate culminates as with any inscription the long journey of documentation presentations and followups by the state government and concerned stakeholders who highlighted its relevance to a global audienceThe forts in this list include Raigad Shivneri Lohagad Panhala Salher Sindhudurg Pratapgad Rajgad Suvarnadurg Vijaydurg Khanderi and Gingee Fort in Tamil Nadu These citadels celebrate a visionary model template where tactical brilliance blends with regional topographyThose whorsquove trekked to reach these fortsrsquo summits marvel at their architecture They would also agree that most forts are in neglect and require immediate safeguarding This holds true now even more with global recognition When I had interviewed some of the cityrsquos historians and conservation architects soon after the news about the fortsrsquo inscription was announced last year a majority felt that the real work had only just begunForts like the newlyinscribed Pratapgad must be protected from encroachments and vandalism PIC COURTESY WIKIMEDIA COMMONSFrom establishing a monitoring committee to protecting the site from new development and encroachments and creating a buffer zone there were plenty of useful suggestions It reiterated the fact that their magnificence must not fall by the wayside after the initial excitement over the inscription had died downCloser home Mumbairsquos boasts of three UNESCO World Heritage Sites but all isnrsquot necessarily well French President Emmanuel Macron made a whistlestop visit to CSMT formerly Victoria Terminus and we hope it had something to do with its UNESCO tag but does the average commuter who blitzes past its platforms daily care about its legacy and stunning architecture My guess is as good as yours Secondly and unless yoursquove been living under a rock you cannot miss the eyesores that dot the boundaries of this grand terminus There was a time soon after it had opened when it was hailed as one of the most photographed structures in the Indian Subcontinent second only to the Taj MahalLikewise with the Elephanta Caves Mumbairsquos first UNESCO World Heritage Site Unchecked vandalism hawkers and garbage remain a permanent concern in and around this historic site The hope is that these newlyinscribed forts might stand a better chance at being protected since they are away from urban threats Apart from these inscribed sites countless diverse landmarks in the city have earned accolades from UNESCO for their conservation efforts From Flora Fountain and the Royal Opera House to the 16th century Our Lady of Grace Cathedral in Papdy Vasai which won the Award of Merit last week at the Asia Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation each diverse site is a success story in heritage conservation Itrsquos a matter of pride as the city continues to win prestigious heritage conservation awards year after year at the international levelStill enough isnrsquot being done to create sustained interest among the common man Often after the excitement of press coverage and official acknowledgements from the Central and state governments the impact of the achievement dies down This is where local authorities should step in and create yearround engagements across age groups and at different platforms Ideally such sites should be included in school and college syllabiIn Mumbai itrsquos almost always left to the resilient heritage community and local residentsHow can we not mention the band of enthusiastic citizens who ensured that the Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles earned a UNESCO World Heritage Site inscription in 2018 And these residents havenrsquot rested on those laurels carrying on with raising awareness about these early examples of modern urban livingIf we wish to be referred to as a heritagefriendly city landmarks of historic value with or without UNESCO recognition must be put into the spotlight to instil enthusiasm and pride Mumbai must walk the heritage talkmiddayrsquos Features Editor Fiona Fernandez relishes the cityrsquos sights sounds smells and stoneswherever the ink and the inclination takes her She tweets bombayanaSend your feedback to mailbagmiddaycomThe views expressed in this column are the individualrsquos and donrsquot represent those of the paper