Rising up on the outskirts of Junagadh is Mt
Girnar, whose 3660 foot high summit is crowned
by some of the finest and most religiously important
temples in Jain religion. The fortification
around the temple is called Deva Kota and is
associated with Rao Khegaji of Kutch. The enclosure
is well filled with temples of both Hindu and
Jain religions, but only 5 Jain temples are
really impressive, though it is also worth looking
at some smaller temples like the granite shrine
built by Rao Bhojraj of Kutch.The temple complex
of Mt Girnar has been an important place of
Jain pilgrimage from the 3rd century BC. The
900 meter high peak itself has considerable
religious significance for Hindus. There is
a Muslim shrine too on the peak. Mt Girnar has
fantastic views of the surrounding hills, forests
and the picturesque city of Junagadh. 10,000
steps lead to the temples on the peak.
Girnar
At
the foot of Mt Girnar, Damodar Kund is the place where
lord Shiva and Goddess Parwatis’ garment fell during
an ariel cruise. Bhavnath is an important Shiva temple
at the foot of Mt Girnar.
Other important Jain pilgrimages are Jagadiya near
Rajpipla, Sankeshwar near Radhanpur, Mahudi near Gandhinagar,
Badreshwar and Naliya in Kutch, Poshina and Kumbhariyaji
near Ambaji, Taranga in north Gujarat, Patan near Mehsana,
to name but a few.
Damodar kund
The greatest of the temples on the summit is the
rectangular Neminath temple, built from 1128 AD
and completed in 1159 AD. The temple surrounds
a collonaded courtyard, with delicate carvings
of the Tithankars of Jainism. Further up from
the Neminath temple, the Amba temple is where
newely wed Hindus gather to pray for a happy marriage,
and a Muslim shrine where childless women prey
for children. The trio of temples which forms
Mallinath mandir, shrine of the 22nd Tirthankar,
were erected in 1231 AD by Vastupal and Tejpal,
the 2 brothers responsible for such marvels in
marble as the Dilwara temples of Mt Abu. The corbelled
domes and beautifully carved interior domes are
highlights of the temple. Other important temples
lie to the left of Neminatha temple-the temple
of Rishabdeo with 24 Tirthakaras carved in 1442,
a 15th century Parshwanath temple called Meravaksi,
the modern Panchbhai temple, 1803 AD Parshwanath
temple with a cobra protecting the marble image
and the 12th century temple built by Kumarapala
of the Solanki dynasty, which is responsible for
many of the finest Jain andindu temples in western
India-Dilwara, Taranga, Kumbariyaji, Palitana,
Modhera, Patan, Diu, Ghumli, Gope and a part of
Somnath-and restored in 1824 AD.
Around half way down from the temple cluster,
you can detour for the hill of Guru Datatray
whose very footprints are holy to 2Jains, the
Kalika hill and Kamandal temple. At the foot
of Mt Girnar is Damodar kund and the Bhavnath
temple both of considerable importance to Hindu
pilgrims.
GETTING THERE
Appx
327 kms from Ahmedabad, trains to Junagadh, near
Girnar.
PLACES TO STAY
-
LUXURY
Riverside
palace/Orchard palace of Gondal, 1 hour north from
Junagadh, Taj run Gir lodge and Maneland jungle
lodge, 1 hour south from Girnar.
