Girnar
Encyclopedia
Girnar is a collection of mountains in the Junagadh District
of Gujarat, India
, situated near Junagadh
at a distance of 327 km from Ahmedabad
. It is a holy place and an important pilgrimage for both Hindu
s and Jains. There are a number of temples located here. Amidst the lush green Gir Forest, the mountain range serves as the hub of religious activity. Apart from this, there is a mosque attracting many Muslim pilgrims to the place. This has made Girnar a perfect example of unity in diversity in India.
insist that the fastest-ever time was 42.36 minute.
The first peak of Girnar has a collection of beautifully carved Jain temples. Higher up, there are temples of `Jatashanker Mahadev' and `Gaumukhi Ganga'. Famous places like `Sheshavan', `Bharanvan' and `Hanumandhara' are nearer to the temple of `Gaumukhi Ganga'. The original way to climb Girnar from western side was from `Hanumandhara'. One can reach `Ambaji' temple after climbing ~5,000 steps. Right at the entry to the Ambaji Temple there is a marker on the steps that indicates 4868 steps from the start. This temple was constructed during `Gupt' dynasty and reference to this temple are found in the books written in seventh century. In the southern direction from `Ambaji' temple, there is another peak known as `Guru Gorakhnath' peak. `Oghad' peak is the next peak and followed by water tank known as `Kamandal kund'. There are steep steps to climb the peak of `Dattatreya' temple. To reach the peak of `Kalka' temple, one has to get down and climb another hill. The last two temples do not have steps on the way and you have to climb the mountain.
In the Hindu religion, the legend is that climbing Girnar barefooted earns one a place in Heaven
. The nearby Gir Forest serves as sanctuary
for the last remaining Asiatic Lion
s. It is also famous for the Kathiawadi culture in the adjacent region.
The Rishabhadev Temple, also situated in the same visinity, is in golden color. It is dedicated to 24 Tirthankars of Jain religion. Another Jain temple in the region is the Parshwanath Temple. It was built in the 15th century and is also known as Meravasi.
According to sources, controversy erupted after the archaeology department wrongly affixed the Neminath Temple board plaque on Ra’khengar Palace and vice-versa, which resulted in a chaos. Neminath Temple and Ra’khengar Palace is located on the first peak of Girnar Mountains at a distance of 4000 steps en-route Ambaji peak, the highest spot on the mountain range.
Meanwhile, Junagadh District Collector Ashwini Kumar denied any controversy over the issue. “The state Archaeological Department had wrongly placed notification boards at the sites, which resulted in a confusion. But after it was brought to our notice, the mistakes were rectified and the boards have been affixed at their right places,” he said.
"Girnar climbing competition started in 1971 and continued up to 1979. Again efforts were made to rejuvenate the competition in 1991 by State Bank of Saurashtra. But the event has been regularly organised since 1996 in both men and women category after the state government took over," said Devashi Ambalia, project director of the event.
One should plan to stop at the Ambaji temple or the next peak before starting back to base. After 12 pm and till 4:30 pm it is extremely hot and return journey can be perilous without adequate water. Summer here typically lasts till Mid-June. There is no hotel on top but snacks can be purchased. The best season for climbing is winter, as the steps can be very slippery during monsoon. However mid September till late November and February are the ideal times as during December especially due to Christmas holidays Girnar is crowded. To enjoy nature less crowd is preferable and forest is at it's best just after monsoon i.e. October.
Avoid leather footwear, and try to get good sandals for the climb.
Important: There are no toilets on the climb, so plan for that. Locals answer the call of nature in the jungle.
Air: The Nearest airport is at Keshod situated at a distance of 40 km. Other airport, Rajkot - about 100 km from Junagadh, is well connected with Mumbai, Delhi and many major Indian cities. The nearest International airport is in Ahmedabad.
Rail way: Nearest railway station is 5 km from Junagadh
By Road: State transport buses and private transport are available.
Junagadh district
Junagadh District is a district of the Indian state of Gujarat. Its administrative headquarters is the city of Junagadh.-Geography:The district is located on the Kathiawar peninsula in western Gujarat. It is surrounded by Rajkot District , Porbandar District , Amreli District...
of Gujarat, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, situated near Junagadh
Junagadh
Junagadh is the headquarters of Junagadh district in the Indian state of Gujarat. The city is the 7th largest in Gujarat. The city is located at the foot of the Girnar hills, 355 km south west of state capital Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad. The city is in western India. Literally translated,...
at a distance of 327 km from Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad also known as Karnavati is the largest city in Gujarat, India. It is the former capital of Gujarat and is also the judicial capital of Gujarat as the Gujarat High Court has its seat in Ahmedabad...
. It is a holy place and an important pilgrimage for both Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
s and Jains. There are a number of temples located here. Amidst the lush green Gir Forest, the mountain range serves as the hub of religious activity. Apart from this, there is a mosque attracting many Muslim pilgrims to the place. This has made Girnar a perfect example of unity in diversity in India.
Girnar peak
The tallest of the mountains rises to 1031 meters (3382 feet), the highest peak in Gujarat. A sturdy stone path — a pilgrimage route - climbs from peak to peak. It is claimed that there are exactly 9,999 steps from the trailhead to the last temple on the highest peak, but the actual number is roughly 8,000. On the ways towards the peak of Girnar, there are temples and places; namely, `Bharathari Gufa(cave)', `Mali Parab', `Ramchandra Temple', and `Hathi Pashan'. Every year, a race is held, running from the base of the mountain to the peak and back. The locals in nearby JunagadhJunagadh
Junagadh is the headquarters of Junagadh district in the Indian state of Gujarat. The city is the 7th largest in Gujarat. The city is located at the foot of the Girnar hills, 355 km south west of state capital Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad. The city is in western India. Literally translated,...
insist that the fastest-ever time was 42.36 minute.
The first peak of Girnar has a collection of beautifully carved Jain temples. Higher up, there are temples of `Jatashanker Mahadev' and `Gaumukhi Ganga'. Famous places like `Sheshavan', `Bharanvan' and `Hanumandhara' are nearer to the temple of `Gaumukhi Ganga'. The original way to climb Girnar from western side was from `Hanumandhara'. One can reach `Ambaji' temple after climbing ~5,000 steps. Right at the entry to the Ambaji Temple there is a marker on the steps that indicates 4868 steps from the start. This temple was constructed during `Gupt' dynasty and reference to this temple are found in the books written in seventh century. In the southern direction from `Ambaji' temple, there is another peak known as `Guru Gorakhnath' peak. `Oghad' peak is the next peak and followed by water tank known as `Kamandal kund'. There are steep steps to climb the peak of `Dattatreya' temple. To reach the peak of `Kalka' temple, one has to get down and climb another hill. The last two temples do not have steps on the way and you have to climb the mountain.
In the Hindu religion, the legend is that climbing Girnar barefooted earns one a place in Heaven
Heaven
Heaven, the Heavens or Seven Heavens, is a common religious cosmological or metaphysical term for the physical or transcendent place from which heavenly beings originate, are enthroned or inhabit...
. The nearby Gir Forest serves as sanctuary
Sanctuary
A sanctuary is any place of safety. They may be categorized into human and non-human .- Religious sanctuary :A religious sanctuary can be a sacred place , or a consecrated area of a church or temple around its tabernacle or altar.- Sanctuary as a sacred place :#Sanctuary as a sacred place:#:In...
for the last remaining Asiatic Lion
Asiatic Lion
The Asiatic lion also known as the Indian lion, Persian lion and Eurasian Lion is a subspecies of lion. The only place in the wild where the lion is found is in the Gir Forest of Gujarat, India...
s. It is also famous for the Kathiawadi culture in the adjacent region.
Temples of Girnar
All temples of Girnar are sacred to pilgrims of both Hindu and Jain faith. In fact, Girnar has been a sacred place well before the Dholavira and Mohen-jo- daro period and its origin can be traced back to the Vedas and other holy scriptures of various Indus Valley based religions.Jain Temples
The first peak (tunk) has beautifully carved and sculptured marble shrines; most beautifully situated group of Jain temples in India. This group of temples is also unique in that both the Digambar and Shwetambar have temples on its hills and it been an important religious place for Jains since the 3rd century. The Neminath Temple here, built during 1128 AD to 1159 AD, is one of the main attractions for Jains. The temple comples has quadrangle courtyards, corridors and other shrines. The pillars are adorned with intricate carvings of Jain Tirthankars. Nearby Mallinath Temple was built by the brothers Vastupal and TejapalaThe Rishabhadev Temple, also situated in the same visinity, is in golden color. It is dedicated to 24 Tirthankars of Jain religion. Another Jain temple in the region is the Parshwanath Temple. It was built in the 15th century and is also known as Meravasi.
Controversy over control of religious places
Like any man-made, institutionalized religion in the universe, the control and status of religious places in the Girnar Mountains at Junagadh is turning out to be a bone of contention between the Jain and the Hindu community. The recent controversy involves the Neminath Temple and the Ra’Khengar Palace. While both are enlisted as historical monuments, Jains claim them as their own and say it is them who manage the two structures. Elsewhere, Hindu saints allege that the Jains have desecrated idols of Hindu gods and goddesses.According to sources, controversy erupted after the archaeology department wrongly affixed the Neminath Temple board plaque on Ra’khengar Palace and vice-versa, which resulted in a chaos. Neminath Temple and Ra’khengar Palace is located on the first peak of Girnar Mountains at a distance of 4000 steps en-route Ambaji peak, the highest spot on the mountain range.
Meanwhile, Junagadh District Collector Ashwini Kumar denied any controversy over the issue. “The state Archaeological Department had wrongly placed notification boards at the sites, which resulted in a confusion. But after it was brought to our notice, the mistakes were rectified and the boards have been affixed at their right places,” he said.
Additional Information
The Gujarat's tallest mountain is now Wi-Fi-enabled. Over 25 lakh tourists throng about 30 temples, including famous Ambaji Mandir and Jain Derasar, dotting the seven peaks of the 1100- metre tall mountain. The decision to make the mountain Wi-Fi enabled was taken to webcast the 25th Girnar climbing competition which is slated for next month. An average of 1,000 contestants participate in the event. This time around about 1,800 participants will join the event."Girnar climbing competition started in 1971 and continued up to 1979. Again efforts were made to rejuvenate the competition in 1991 by State Bank of Saurashtra. But the event has been regularly organised since 1996 in both men and women category after the state government took over," said Devashi Ambalia, project director of the event.
Information About The Climb
In the morning, there is high humidity, which reduces after 9 am. It is advisable to start early, around 6-7am, to avoid the summer sun. It is rumored that climbing in the night (the path is well lit) is dangerous because of wild animals. If a group has 8-10 climbers then to climb during the night is not a big problem but if the group has children or senior citizens then early morning time is the best.One should plan to stop at the Ambaji temple or the next peak before starting back to base. After 12 pm and till 4:30 pm it is extremely hot and return journey can be perilous without adequate water. Summer here typically lasts till Mid-June. There is no hotel on top but snacks can be purchased. The best season for climbing is winter, as the steps can be very slippery during monsoon. However mid September till late November and February are the ideal times as during December especially due to Christmas holidays Girnar is crowded. To enjoy nature less crowd is preferable and forest is at it's best just after monsoon i.e. October.
Avoid leather footwear, and try to get good sandals for the climb.
Important: There are no toilets on the climb, so plan for that. Locals answer the call of nature in the jungle.
Location and Transportation
The Girnar mountain is 5 km east from Junagadh city and about 400 km south west of Ahmedabad. It is easily accessible by trains and roads and state transport are also available.Air: The Nearest airport is at Keshod situated at a distance of 40 km. Other airport, Rajkot - about 100 km from Junagadh, is well connected with Mumbai, Delhi and many major Indian cities. The nearest International airport is in Ahmedabad.
Rail way: Nearest railway station is 5 km from Junagadh
By Road: State transport buses and private transport are available.