Junagarh

India City: Junagarh
	Population : 181,000 Languages : p; : Gujarati. Telephone area code : 0285 Best time to visit : October to March Junagarh, is town is situated at the base of the temple studded Girnar Hill and is also the departure point for visits to the Gir Forest. Junagarh city takes its name from the fort which enclosed the old city. Dating from 250 BC, the Ashokan edicts near the town testify the great antiquity of this site. It is said that this fort was once besieged, unsuccessfully, for a full 12 years. In all, it was besieged 16 times. It is also said that the fort was abandoned from 10^th to 12^th centuries and where rediscovered was completely overgrown by Jungle. Inside the fort is the Jama Masjid, the tomb of Nuri Shah and two fine step-wells known as Adi Chadi . Near the mosque are the ancient Buddhist caves which are thought to be atleast 1500 years old. These double storey caves have six pillars with very fine carvings. Mahabat Maqbara This mausoleum of one of the Nawabs of Junagadh is resplendent with silver doors and intricate architecture, including minarets encircled by spiralling stairways. Darbar Hall Museum It has a display of weapons and armour from the days of nawabs, together with their collections of silver chains and chandeliers, howdahs, palanquins, few cushions, gowns and a huge carpet which was woven in Junagadh Jail. Ashok Edicts These 14 edicts were inscribed by Emperor Ashoka in around 250 BC. His inscription is in the Pali script. Later Sanskrit inscriptions were added around 150 AD and in about 450 AD by Rudradama and Skandagupta. Girnar Hill At the top of 600 m high Girnar hill are the famous Jain temples On has to climb up 10,000 stone stops to make it to the summit. The sacred tank of Damodar Kund marks the start of the climb to the temples. The path ascends through a wood the marble temples near the summit. Five of them are Jain temples including the largest and the oldest the 12^th century Temple of Neminath, the 22^nd Jain tirthankar. There is a large black image of Neminath in the central shrine and smaller images around the temple. Also notable is the nearby triple Temple of Mallinath 9^th tirthankar, which was erected in 1177 by two brothers. By Train Trains from Ahmedabad and Veraval.