Page 432 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - India

430  WESTERN INDIA

Impressive Jain temple complex on Girnar Hill, just outside Junagadh
u Junagadh mausoleums can be seen near have died here. The 12th-century
the city’s rail way station, the Amba Mata Temple, at the
Junagadh district. 393 km (244 miles)
SW of Ahmedabad. * 168,700. £ most notable of which is summit, is very popular with
@ n Majwadi Darwaza, (0285) 265 the Mahabat Maqbara with newlyweds, who come seeking
1170. ( Mon–Sat. _ Bhavnath Fair splendid silver doors. blessings for conjugal bliss.
(Feb/Mar), Kartik Mela (Oct/Nov). Junagadh’s main attraction,
however, is Girnar Hill, 6 km E Durbar Hall Museum
Junagadh, which means “Old (4 miles) east of the city. An Tel (0285) 262 1685. Open Thu–Tue.
Fort”, takes its name from the extinct volcano, this has been a Closed 2nd & 4th Sat. &
ancient fort of Uparkot, built holy site for Buddhists, Jains and
in the 4th century on a plateau Hindus since the 3rd century BC.
at the eastern edge Over 4,000 steps lead i Porbandar
of the town. The fort to the top of the Porbandar district. 404 km (251 miles)
is surrounded by 1,080-m (3,543-ft) SW of Ahmedabad. * 133,100.
massive walls, over high hill. En route is £ @ ( Mon–Sat. n (0286) 224
20 m (66 ft) high in an Ashokan Rock 5475. Extra charges for photography.
places, and a 90-m Edict, dating to 250
(295-ft) deep moat BC (see p46), that Once a major port on the
inside the walls. This conveys Emperor Arabian Sea, Porbandar is today
once teemed with Ashoka’s message of famous as Mahatma Gandhi’s
crocodiles that were non-violence and birthplace. The house where
fed on criminals and peace. Halfway up Gandhi was born in 1869 still
political enemies. An Intricate carving on the hill is a cluster of stands in a small alley, in the
ornate, triple-arched Mahabat Maqbara beautiful Jain temples. western part of the city. Next
gateway marks the Most notable among door is the Kirti Mandir
entrance to the fort. Inside, a them is the Neminath Temple, Museum with photographs
cobbled path leads past Hindu enshrining a black marble image from the Mahatma’s life, and
temples to the now deserted of the 22nd Jain tirthankara extracts from his speeches and
Jama Masjid at the top of the (see p400), who is believed to writings. The city has little else
plateau. Its carved stonework
and pillars show that it was The Nawab of Junagadh and His Dogs
constructed on the remains
of a destroyed Hindu temple. The 11th Nawab of Junagadh (1900–59), like his forebears, had
Nearby is a cluster of Buddhist a passion for breeding dogs, and these pedigreed pooches, 800
caves dating to the 2nd century. of them, were housed in luxury with
The fort also has two fine separate rooms and personal attendants.
11th-century stepwells, the The Nawab even held elaborate
Navghan Kuan and the Adi banquets to celebrate their “nuptials”.
Charan Vav. On the eve of India’s Independence,
In the mid-19th century, when the princely states were given
the nawabs of Junagadh moved the option of either remaining in India
or becoming a part of Pakistan, the
down from the old fort into Nawab’s decision to accede to Pakistan
new colonial-style palaces in was thwarted by popular protest.
the city. The Durbar Hall of The Nawab, however, decided to leave
the City Palace, built in 1870, Junagadh. When the time for departure
houses a museum with the came, the Nawab, true to form, boarded
typical trappings of royalty – Portrait of the Nawab with his the aircraft with his dogs, leaving
palanquins, silver thrones and favourite dog behind his entire harem of concubines.
old armour. A complex of royal
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp699–700 and pp713–14

430-431_EW_India.indd 430 26/04/17 11:47 am
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Catalogue template “UK” LAYER
(Source v2.6)
Date 12th July 2013
Size 125mm x 217mm