Junagadh is an ancient city located in Junagadh district of Gujarat. The city is situated at the foothills of the Girnar hills. Junagadh literally means "Old Fort" and it got its name because of Uparkot which is an ancient fort built by Chandra Gupta Maurya. This ancient city was once the capital of the erstwhile Junagadh State when it was under the Muslim rulers of Babi Nawabs. Junagadh was ruled by many dynasties like Mauryans, Kshatrapas, Guptas, Vilabhis, Chudasamas, Gujarat Sultans and Babi Nawabs at different times in history. All these rulers have left their profound influence on the city which is visible in many splendid monuments dotted in Junagarh that today have become its landmark.
The city is richly endowed with historical wealth and attracts thousands of tourists who visit to see the magnificence of these historic monuments. The city is also known for its places of spiritual importance. The influence of Jainism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam is clearly visible in the number of pilgrimage places present in the city.
Places to visit in Junagadh
Upperkot
This is an old fort that is said to be nearly 2,300 years old. It is located on the higher level of the town. It is said that the fort was besieged 16 times and one siege lasted for 12 years. According to archaeologists the fort was unused for three centuries from the 7th to10th centuries and then rediscovered. The entrance to the fort is formed by an ornate triple gateway which is like the Hindu Toran.
Jama Masjid and a number of Buddhist caves are situated inside the complex. Khapra Kodia Caves are situated to the north of the fort and Babupyana Caves to its south. These caves are fine examples of rock cut architecture and are supposed to be around 1500 years old. The caves are known for their ornamented pillars, carved entrances and intricate floral works. Adi Chadi and Naughan Kuva- the two step wells inside the fort are the other attractions here.
Jami Masjid
Jami Masjid is situated inside the fort. It was originally a palace of Ranakdevi which was converted into a mosque by Sultan Mohammad Begda to commemorate his victory over Junagadh. The mosque is known for its 140 pillars that support the high roof. It is said that many of these pillars were taken from the Chudasana Palace.
Sakkarbag Zoo
This is the oldest zoo in Gujarat. The zoo was set up by the Nawab in 1863. The zoo is an effort to breed and protect the Gir lions. The zoo breeds Gir lions and supply’s it to other zoos. There are other animals in the zoo like the Indian gaur, Malabar giant squirrels, marmosets and green pheasants. There is a museum that has a memorable and rare collection of stuffed animals, manuscripts, archaeological finds, stone sculpture including a 9th century Vishnu, bronze sculpture of the medieval period, art furniture, Persian Sanskrit inscriptions, ancient coins and other artefacts.
Darbar Hall Museum
This museum located in the royal palace was once the hall where the Nawabs held their Darbars. The Darbar Hall Museum contains an interesting collection of weapons, silver chains, chandeliers, thrones, palanquins, weapons, costumes, paintings, tapestries, and armour from the days of the Nawabs. This museum also has a portrait gallery of the Nawabs.
Mahabat Maqbara
It is the mausoleum of one of the Nawabs of Junagadh. This mausoleum was built in 1892 and the structure is a fine example of Indo-Islamic architecture. It has finely carved silver doors splendid arches, many domes, and towering minarets encircled by spiralling stairways.
Narsinh Mehta's Choro
Narsinh Mehta's Choro is the place where the great devotee, poet, scholar, philosopher , social reformer and Saint Narsinh Mehta used to hold his assemblies, religious discourses and Bhajans during the 15th century.
Ayurvedic Museum
Ayurvedic Museum is located at the Ayurvedic College at Sardarbag in the western part of the town. The museum provides a detailed knowledge about the ancient and natural medical treatment of Ayurveda.
Damodar Kund
Damodar Kund is located at the foothills go the hill. This holy water reservoir is considered to be a sacred bathing place. Close to Damodara Kund is Revati Kund.
Ashoka's Rock Edict
On the way to Girnar hills you can find an edict of Emperor Ashoka inscribed on a rock dating that dating back to 250 BC. There are 14 inscriptions of Emperor Ashoka in the Brahmi script of the Pali language. There are some other inscriptions carved in Sanskrit that were added later on by the rulers.
Moti Baug
Moti Baug is situated in the Junagadh Agricultural University Campus. It is a botanical garden. This garden has total land area of 754.62 hectors and 2485 hectors including 17 sub centres which are manned by 1,500 people.
Science Museum
It is the first and the only private science museum. In this museum there are about 60 projects based on science facts which the visitors can operate. Small aquarium and evening open air garden restaurant are the other attractions here.
Wellington Dam
Wellington Dam is built near the foot of Datar hill. The dam is surrounded by hills in three sides and there is a garden in front of it.
Mount Girnar
Girnar is a sacred hill with five peaks which is visited by millions of Hindus and Jains. One can reach to the peak of this 3660 feet hill by climbing 9,999 steps. There are five important Jain temples, besides several Hindu temples. This hill is an important pilgrimage site in India . Other than temples, there is also a big mosque attracting many Muslim pilgrims to the place. Among the Jain temples the most prominent is the rectangular Neminath temple dedicated to the 22nd Tirthankar. This temple is the main attraction here. There is a large black image of Neminath in the central shrine and the idol of Neminath is carved in black marble with jewelled eyes. The Mallinath temple dedicated to the 19th Tirthankar is another popular temple.
Apart from this Bharathari Gufa (cave), Mali Parab, Rishabhadev temple, Ramchandra Temple, Parshwanath Temple, Goddess Ambe Temple, the Jatashankar Mahadev Temple, the Gaumukhi Ganga Temple, Bhim Kund, Suryakund are the other attractions here.
Places to visit near Junagadh
Gir National Park
Gir National Park is 65 kilometres from Junagadh. This is only place in the world where the Asiatic lion which is an endangered species can be seen in the wild. It was declared as a sanctuary in 1965 and then subsequently an area of 258.71 sq. km. was declared a National Park. The sanctuary is home to around thirty species of mammals, twenty species of reptiles and several species of insects and birds. The sanctuary has remarkable bird population like Paradise Flycatcher, Bonneli's Eagle, Crested Serpent Eagle, Woodpeckers Flamingo etc. Crocodile farm developed in the forest is another attraction here.
Chorwad beach
Chorwad beach is situated at a distance of 66 km from Junagadh. This splendid beach constituting of rocky hills is a best place to enjoy thrilling boat rides. A magnificent palace which was built here by Nawab Mohabbat Khan now been converted into a resort. The Daria Mahal Palace is another attraction here. From this place one can also visit the nearby places of Porbandar and Somnath.
Somnath Temple
Somnath Temple is located about 79 kilometres from Junagadh. Somnath Temple is one of the ancient temples in India. The Somnath Temple is known as the eternal shrine and is revered as the one of the twelve jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva in India. It is believed that Somraj, the moon god, built the Somnath Temple out of gold. It was rebuilt by Ravana in silver. Again Lord Krishna, the incarnation of Lord Vishnu built it in wood. Then King Bhimdev Solank built the temple on stone. The temple is constructed in such a manner that there is no land from here to the South Pole. This architectural marvel stands testimony to the workmanship and artistic skills of the master masons.
Veraval Beach
Veraval Beach is a picturesque and scenic beach about 5 km from the Somnath Temple. This beach is lined with several benches and has a long jogging path.
Pania Wildlife Sanctuary
Pania Wildlife Sanctuary at Amreli is a wing stretching from the Gir Sanctuary. Pania Sanctuary was established in June 1989. Because of the abundant growth of grass here this sanctuary is an ideal habitat for chinkara- the Indian gazelle which roam freely in this sanctuary. Famously known as Chanchai-Pania, this famed sanctuary is spread across a sprawling area of 39.64 sq. kms. Lion, hyena, leopard, wildcat, civet cat, spotted deer, chinkara, wild boar, four-horned antelope, pangolin, blue bull, etc. can also found here.
How to reach Junagadh
The nearest airport to Junagadh is at Keshod which is around 40 km from Junagadh. This is a domestic airport and has limited connectivity. The other nearest airport is Rajkot which is 107 kms away. The nearest international airport is at Ahmedabad and the airport is at a distance of 300 kms. Junagadh is well connected with the rest of the country by rail. The city of Junagadh lies on the western railway network and has a major railway station. The railway station is connected to the cities of Ahmedabad, Veraval and Rajkot. State Transport Corporation buses and other private luxury buses ply between Junagadh and many major cities in Gujarat like Ahmedabad, Surat, Bhavnagar and Bhuj. Private buses to Junagadh are also available from Vadodara, Mumbai and Udaipur.
Accommodation
Plenty of accommodation options are available in the city that tourists can choose from according to their budget, choice and requirement.