ABSTRACT: Raigad Fort, the historic capital of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's Hindavi Swarajya, holds immense cultural significance and recently earned UNESCO recognition. However, there is a growing disconnect between the site's symbolic reverence and actual public knowledge. This descriptive-empirical study evaluates Raigad’s historical legacy, public awareness, and preservation potential by combining field observations with a structured survey of 40 predominantly young respondents. Findings reveal that while cultural reverence remains high, nearly 70% of surveyed youths lack basic familiarity with the fort's history, and a similar proportion have never visited the site. Furthermore, field observations highlight critical physical and social threats, including modern conservation interventions that are failing faster than original structures, escalating site-management conflicts, and visitor behaviour that compromises the fort's sanctity. Despite these challenges, local communities successfully sustain their livelihoods through the heritage economy without displacement, and the surveyed youth demonstrate a near-unanimous desire for formal heritage education. Ultimately, this study concludes that preserving Raigad Fort requires moving beyond physical restoration to prioritize historical education, ensuring the legacy of the Maratha capital is sustained by an informed and engaged public.

KEYWORDS: Raigad Fort, Heritage Tourism, Historical Conservation, Public Awareness, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Hindavi Swarajya, Maratha Military Landscapes.

PRESERVING CHHATRAPATI SHIVAJI MAHARAJ’S CAPITAL: ASSESSING PUBLIC AWARENESS, HERITAGE TOURISM, AND CONSERVATION STRATEGIES FOR RAIGAD FORT

MR. PARTH SANTOSH KAMBLE, MR. HARSH KASHINATH KAMBLE, MR. SRIKANT SAURABH CHAUBE, MR. ATHARV VINOD NERKAR, DR. SUNITA VIJESH YADAV