Page 429 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - India

GUJAR A T  427

reconstruction at Somnath
continued over the next seven
centuries. The present temple,
made of stone, was built in 1950.
East of the temple, at the
confluence of three rivers, is
Triveni Tirth. The ghats going
down to the sea at this spot are
said to mark the place where
Lord Krishna’s funeral rites were
The abandoned seaside fort at Diu, dating to the 16th century performed, after a hunter mistook
him for a deer and killed him.
(15 sq miles). Once known as the linked to the island’s history.
“Gibraltar of the East”, it was a The beach at Nagoa, 7 km
flourishing Portuguese colony (4 miles) from the town, has y Sasan Gir
from the 16th century onwards. a long stretch of sand fringed National Park
It was ceded to India in 1961 with palm trees. Other beaches
and is today a Union Territory within easy reach of Diu are Junagadh district. 368 km (229 miles)
administered by the Central Jallandhar and Chakratirth, SW of Ahmedabad. Entry point: Sasan
Government. The majestic Diu which has a sunset viewpoint. Gir. £ @ n For permits contact
Fort on the eastern end of the As a Union Territory, Diu is Field Director, Sinh Sadan, Sasan
island dominates the town. Built not subject to Gujarat’s Gir (02877) 28 5541. Open mid-Oct–
mid-Jun. & Extra charges for
in 1535, when the Portuguese prohibition laws. This explains photography. 8 Jeeps available.
took control of Diu, it is worth the profusion of bars in the
a visit for its impressive double town, and the invasion, on Until the early 1900s, the Asiatic
moat, its old cannons and for weekends, by thirsty Gujaratis. lion roamed vast areas of India,
the superb views of the sunset from Gujarat all the way to Bihar
it offers. in the east. Now, the Sasan Gir
Diu town, sandwiched t Somnath National Park is the lion’s only
between the fort to the east Junagadh district. 406 km (252 miles) habitat outside Africa. Asiatic
and the city wall to the west, SW of Ahmedabad. @ ^ lions are smaller than African
retains a distinctly Portuguese ones, with a fold of skin along
atmosphere in its churches and Situated on the coast with the belly. The males have
its many mansions. The Nagar a commanding view of the shorter manes. About 320 lions
Seth Haveli is particularly Arabian Sea, the Somnath live in Gir’s 259 sq km (100 sq
outstanding, with carved Temple is revered as one of the miles) of dry scrub forest. By the
balconies and stone lions. The 12 most sacred sites dedicated early 1900s, the Asiatic lion had
Church of St Paul (built in 1610) to Lord Shiva. The temple’s been hunted and poached almost
has a lovely, carved wooden legendary wealth made it the to the point of extinction. Their
altar, statues of the saints target of suc cessive plundering remarkable resurgence in Gir is
and a sonorous old organ. Its armies, beginning in 1026 with attributed to the conservation
impressive Gothic façade was Mahmud of Ghazni, who is said efforts of the erstwhile Nawab
rebuilt in 1807. Nearby, the St to have made off with camel- of Junagadh (see p430) and,
Thomas Church (built in 1598) loads of gold and precious subsequently, the Gujarat
houses a museum of religious gems, leaving the edifice in state government.
artifacts and stone inscriptions ruins. The cycle of pillage and A number of rivers wind
through Gir, making it a haven
for a range of wildlife, including
The Moon God and Somnath the caracal, the chausingha
Legend weaves an interesting tale around the origins (four-horned antelope), the
of the temple at Somnath. Som, the Moon God, was blackbuck and a substantial
wedded to the 27 daughters of Daksha, a son of leopard population.
Brahma, but he loved only one of them, Rohini,
causing great frustration to the other sisters.
An infuriated Daksha cursed his son-in-
law, causing him to lose his lustre.
In despair, Som turned to Shiva
and served him with such zealous
devotion that Shiva gave him respite
from the curse – he would wax for
half the month and wane for the
rest. In gratitude the Moon God
The Somnath Temple, visited by built a Shiva temple at Somnath.
devotees of Shiva An Asiatic lioness basking in the sun in
Sasan Gir Sanctuary
Cluster of Jain temples on the Shatrunjaya Hill, Palitana,

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