Name: Junagadh
Rating: 3.4

Girnar Hills, Junagadh Overview

Just 5 km from Junagadh town, Girnar Hill is a majestic sacred mountain whose origins can be traced back to the Vedas. It has been considered to be a religious place even as long before in the Mohan-jo-Daro period.

Flocked by Hindu and Jain pilgrims alike, this place is also nature's paradise located in midst of the Gir Forest. Girnar offers its visitors some good trekking avenues, religious spots and pre-historic sites and mountains.

Girnar Hill Jain Temples

Housing an array of Swetambara and Digambara temples, the Girnar Hill is said to have been regarded as a holy Jain site from 250 BC.

Neminatha Temple
Set up on the hill's 3300th step, there are over 860 Jain and Hindu temples at this location. Referred to as Mount Neminath by Jain followers, the Neminath temple here is indeed the most prominent and the largest shrine here.

Dedicated to the 22nd Tirthankara, Bhagavan Neminath, this temple is a memory of the day this Jain deity attained nirvana after giving up all worldly necessities.

Adibadji Temple
Right behind the Neminath temple is a smaller Jain shrine called the Adabadji Adinatha Temple, devoted to the 1st Tirthankara, Adinatha.

Panchmeru and Meraka-Vasahi Temples
Bang opposite to this temple is the five-spire holding Panchmeru Temple. A little to the west of the Panchmeru is another huge temple called the Meraka-Vasahi temple, also known as Merakavashi. This temple is as old as the 1400 AD.

Other Temples
Some of the other significant temples here include the Sangram Soni, Mansingha Bhojraja, Samprati Raja, Kumarapala and Vastupala-Vihara temples. Holy sites dedicated to Bhagwan Rishabadev, Bhagwan Parshwanath and Malinath are other notable mentions as well.

Trekking at Girnar Hill

The Girnar Hill trek begins at the Girnar Taleti. Located about 4 km east from Junagadh, this starting point opens up to a 10000-step trek up the hill. This 7.5-hour trek would cover many distinguished temples en route, especially the group of Jain temples.

Passing through the Wageshwari Gate would mark the beginning of the trek. The foothills of the Girnar also sites many local souvenir stalls. It is advisable to take along a bamboo stick for the trek.

Trekkers would also come across numerous Hindu temples such as the Dattatreya temple. Kamandulu Kund and Sri Ambaji Temple. The Girnar Hill course is a well-maintained path with proper stone-ways. Visitors could also rest at the Dharamshalas on the way which are set up after every 2500 steps.