Junagadh is the State of Gujarat

Junagadh

History Of Junagadh

According to legend, the founder of the Ror dynasty, Raja Dhaj, Ror Kumar also known as Raja Dyach ruled the principality of Jhunjhunu in the 5th century AD An early structure is the Uparkot Fort on a plateau in the middle of the town. It was originally built by Chandragupta during the Maurya dynasty in 319 BC The fort was in use until the 6th century AD after which it was abandoned for about 300 years. It was later rediscovered by the Chudasama ruler Graharipu I in 976 AD. The fort was subsequently sieged 16 times over a period of a thousand years. One unsuccessful siege lasted for 12 years. There is an inscription containing 14 edicts of Ashoka on a large boulder within two kilometres of the Uparkot fort. A later inscription in Sanskrit was added around 150 AD by Mahakshatrapa Rudradaman I, a member of the Shaka dynasty and the Western Kshatrapa dynasty, and has been described as "the oldest known Sanskrit inscription of any date". Another inscription dates to around 450 AD and praises the last Gupta emperor Skanda Gupta. There are many old rock-cut caves in the area dating back to 500 AD. They contain stone carvings and floral work. The Khaparh Kaudiyan caves to the north of the fort and Bava Pyara Gurgaon to the south of the fort contain artifacts of both Buddhism and Jainism. The Matrikas dynasty ruled Gujarat from 475 to 767 AD. The dynasty's founder, General Bharak, a military governor of the Saurashtra Peninsula under the Gupta Empire, established himself as an independent ruler of Gujarat around the last quarter of the fifth century. The early history of the Chudasama dynasty which ruled Saurashtra from Junagadh is almost lost. The names, deeds and numbers of the early rulers in the bardic legends vary considerably, making them unreliable as historical sources. According to tradition the dynasty was founded by Chuda Chandra towards the end of the 9th century. The later rulers named Grahaipu Navaghana and Khengara had conflicts with the Chalukya rulers Mularaja and Jayasihma Siddharaja and during this period Saurashtra was ruled by the Chalukyas for some time. These events are recorded in contemporary and later Jain histories. In 1350 Junagadh was conquered by Muhammad bin Tughlaq from Ra Khangar with the help of Koli chieftain Jesaji and Suna. After the end of the rule of the Chalukyas and the successor Vaghela dynasty in Gujarat, the Chudasamas formed an independent successor state balanced with the Delhi Sultanate and ruled as vassals of the Gujarat Sultanate. The first Chudasama shashak known from inscriptions was Mandalik and during his reign Gujarat was invaded by the Khilji dynasty of Delhi. The last king of the dynasty Mandalik III was defeated and forcibly converted to Islam by Sultan Mahmud Begada of Gujarat in 1472 who annexed the state.

History of Girnar Mountain in Junagadh

Mount Girnar, also known as Girinagar or Revatak Parvat, is a sacred mountain range in Junagadh, Gujarat, India, revered by both Hindus and Jains. Its history is far older and it is believed to be the birthplace of the 22nd Tirthankara Lord Neminath, a Jain temple built in the 13th century. Girnar is one of the five major pilgrimage sites attributed to the five welfares of various Jain Tirthankaras. There are Jain temples on the southern edge of the mountain, some of which date back to the 13th century. There are about 16 Jain temples built on top of large rocks on the western side of the hill.

It is believed to be older than the Himalayas. Girnar is important among Shiva devotees for the so-called "mysterious space-time" of the mountain range. There are sacred temples on the mountain, including the Dattatreya Temple on the Shikhar and the Ambika Temple. The Girnar Prakarsh Festival, held in November, is a major pilgrimage for Hindus.

The seventh century Chinese traveller Hsuan-Tsang referred to Girnar as a place with "supernatural sages" referring to the Saivite Pashupati ascetics. On the top of one of the hills is a rock on which is inscribed one of the edicts of Ashoka (3rd century BCE). This rock has an inscription which mentions the construction of a lake called Sudarshan by the Mauryan emperor Chandragupta in the late 4th century BCE.

The mountain is surrounded by lush green Girvan. The 10,000 stone steps leading to the summit pass through a series of temples. The climb to the top of Girnar is a meticulous and physical challenge. Flora and fauna fairs are also organized on the mountain, such as the Maha Shivaratri Mela.

Most Famous Place in Junagadh

Sakkarbaug Zoological Park
Mahabat Maqbara Palace
Uparkot Fort
Junagadh Museum
Adi Kadi Vav
Shree Swaminarayan Mukhya Temple & Shree Sidhdheahwar Mahadev
Willingdon Dam
Jatashankar Mahadev Mandir Junagadh
Ashok Shilalekh
Navghan Kuvo
Khapara Kodiya Caves
Moti Baug
Bhavnath Mahadev Temple

1. Sakkarbaug Zoological Park

2. Mahabat Maqbara Palace

Mohammed Maqbara and Bahauddin Maqbara are tombs located in Junagadh, Gujarat, India. They were completed in 1892 and 1896 and dedicated to Nawab Mohabbat Khan II and his Bahauddin Hussain Bhar of Junagadh State. Nawabs of the Babi dynasty ruled the erstwhile Junagadh State. The construction of Mohammed Maqbara was started in 1878 by Nawab Mohammed Khan II (1851 to 1882) and finished in 1892 during the reign of Nawab Bahadur Khan III (1818 to 1892). It houses the tomb of Mohammed Khan II. It is a state protected monument under the Gujarat Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Special Act 1965. The tomb to the north was built by Mohammed Khan II's wazir Sheikh Bahauddin Hussain Bhar during 1891 to 1896 with his own funds. Due to this, Bahauddin's tomb is known here as Wazir's tomb.

3. Uparkot Fort

A fort and town was established at the foot of Girnar hill during the reign of the Mauryan empire and continued to be used during the Gupta period but lost its importance when the capital of the Saurashtra region was shifted to Vallabhi in Junagadh by the Matrikas. The Chudasamas settled around Junagadh from 875 AD as the Chudasamas acquired the Vamasthali from the Chadha ruler. The Chudasama king of the tenth century Graharipu (reigned about 940 to about 982) cleared the old citadel from the jungle. From the witnesses contained in Hemchandra's account it can be observed that Graharipu laid the new citadel as it now exists; legend has it that its first discovery is told.

4. Junagadh Museum

Junagadh Museum, formerly known as Durbar Hall Museum, displays the history and culture of the region, especially of the Babi dynasty, and is housed in the former royal court of the Nawabs of Junagadh, established in 1964

5. Adi Kadi Vav

Junagadh District Administration says that this stepwell was built in the 15th century. Other sources say that it was built in the late 10th century or in the 11th century during the rule of the Chudasama dynasty. Another source says that it was built in 319 BC and rediscovered in 976. According to them, this is the Adi Bawdi and the Kadi Bawdi is still extant.

6. Shree Swaminarayan Mukhya Temple

The city of Junagadh is nestled in the lap of Mount Girnar. The temple is situated in the heart of the city. The land for the temple was donated by Raja Hemant Singh and commemorates him. On 10 May 1826 AD, the foundation stone was laid by Guneet Anand Swami in the presence of Gopalanand Swami and other senior Paramhansas. The construction was supervised by Brahmanand Swami. Prana Pratishtha or the installation of the deities lasted for a full 2 days with the celebration of auspicious events. On 1 May 1828 Swaminarayan himself installed Shri Ranchhodrai and Trikam Rai in the inner part. In the eastern part he installed Radharaman Dev and Hari Krishna Maharaj and in the western part he installed Siddheshwar Mahadev Parvati Ganesh and Nandishwar. Swaminarayan blessed the provincial head of the Mughal Empire and felicitated Raja Mahendra Singh for the gift of land for the temple. Swaminarayan appointed Gunitanand Swami as the first Mahant. He served in this role for over 40 years. The Swaminarayan temple has a perimeter of 278 feet. The temple has five shrines and several statues.

7.Willingdon Dam

Wellington Dam on the Kalwa River in Junagadh, Gujarat, India was built as a reservoir for drinking water and was named after Lord Wellington, the then Governor of India.

8. Jatashankar Mahadev Mandir Junagadh

The Jatashankar Temple is believed to be more than 5000 years old and was constructed during the Gupta period. 11 The main idol of Lord Shiva inside the temple is made of black sandstone which gives it a unique and exquisite look.

9. Ashok Shilalekh

The Ashoka Inscriptions in Junagadh, Gujarat are edicts engraved by Emperor Ashoka of the Mauryan Dynasty around 250 BCE which contain inscriptions in the Pali language and Brahmi script that provide information about his rule, beliefs and the spread of Buddhism.

10.Navghan Kuvo

Navghan Kuvo is named after the Chudasama king Ra Navghan. The courtyard leading to the well was built during his reign in the 11th century. It is believed that it was completed by his son Khengara. The well is believed to be older than Paraghana. According to some scholars, it is the oldest example of a stepwell. It is near the Uparkot caves. The well may have been built during the Kshatrapa period or the Metric period.

11. Khapara Kodiya Cave

Khapra Kodia Caves is a part of the Junagadh Buddhist Caves complex. It is the oldest of the caves in the Junagadh region. Based on the slanting inscriptions and small writings on the walls, these caves were built in the 3rd-4th century BC during the reign of Emperor Ashoka and are the simplest of all the caves in the group. They were carved into the rock during the reign of Emperor Ashoka and are considered to be the oldest monastery or settlement in the region. These caves are located on the banks of the ancient Sudarshan Lake and a little outside the Uparkot Fort towards the north.

12. Moti Baug

Moti Baug is a park which is a part of Junagadh Agricultural University. This park was built by Nawab Mohammed Mohabbat Khan Ji-3 in honor of his pet dog. It is famous for its lush vegetation and vibrant flowers.

13. Bhavnath Mahadev Temple

According to the story mentioned about this place in many Hindu scriptures, once Lord Shiva and his beloved Parvati were crossing the Girnar hills and then unknowingly their holy clothes fell at Mrig Kund and since then this place has become an auspicious place to worship Lord Shiva.