About Junagadh City

Very few places in India have a diversified, complex and multi-layered history as Junagadh. You can’t complete your tour to Gujarat without visiting Junagadh. Junagadh city in the local language translates into Old Fort. There are lots of information about Junagadh city to explore. Every generation of the Junagadh has a new story to tell. Junagadh city comes first and compulsory on the list of travel destinations in Gujarat. Walking around the streets of Junagadh is mystical. It gives you the feeling of left behind syllabus from the course of tourism in Gujarat. There are many stores to tell, be it architectural beauty, natural surroundings, farming and agricultural fields, beauty and greenery of Mountain Girnar or mythological slice of Narsinh Mehta No Choro, Junagadh city has all. One thing is common that everything in Junagadh city is scenic and mesmerizing.

Where can you see an architecture that is straight out of a dream. The domes of mosques and tombs or kings are looks incredible monuments and most unconventionally attractive. You can recite very easily that history is hidden over here in every architecture.

History of Junagadh:

One can say the history of Junagadh city is older than the history itself. The history of Junagadh starts from the Mauryan dynasty by Chandragupta Mauryan. He built the Uparkot Fort, the first fort of Junagadh. Also there are some caves and stone edicts which are dated around 250 BCE. In the late 9th century and early 10th-century Chudasama dynasty has ruled the state of Saurashtra from Junagadh. It was a golden era in the city. The Uparkot Fort of Junagadh city was then occupied by the Chudasama dynasty and later ruled by Navaghana. He built step-wells; Navghan Kuvo and Adi Kadi Vav around the fort.

Later the city of Junagadh was ruled by the Sultan Mahmud Begada, who changed its name to Mustafabad. It also built a mosque in the Uparkot Fort. Then the rule moved to Ghori family and Aminkhan Ghori was the last ruler of Junagadh from the family. In 1807 Junagadh falls under the British Empire and in 1818 East India Company took over Junagadh. It remains the princely state under British rule till independence.

Ancient Structures In Junagadh: The first fort of Junagadh, Uparkot Fort which is located on the plateau at the center of the town was built by him. This palace was in use till the 6th century and then abandoned for about 300 years. It was rediscovered by the Chudasama Ruler of Graharipur. From the walking distance of Uparkot Fort, there are Ashoka’s Rock Edicts which was dated back from 250 BCE. The artifacts are written in Brahmi scripts which is similar to Pali. The same rock has another inscription in Sanskrit, which is believed to be added later around 150 CE by Mahakshatrap Rudradaman I. This is described as “the earliest known Sanskrit inscription of any extent” available till date. The surrounding location of this place is covered by so many caves. There is an old rock-cut Buddhist caves in this area which believed to be dated back to 500 CE. It has stone carvings and floral work crafted on the walls. Another cave in this area is Khapra Kodia Caves at the north of the fort and Bava Pyara Caves in the south of the fort. Both of these caves exhibit artwork from Buddhism and Jainism.

Shree Swaminarayan Temple in Junagadh was constructed by Jinabhai Darbar of Panchala in 1828 under the guidance of Lord Swaminarayan. He appointed Gunatitanand Swami as the First Mahant (head priest) of the temple who served in Junagadh for over 40 years.

Things To See & Do In Junagadh: Junagadh city holds many hidden attractions away from the busy life of Gujarat at the footstep of Girnar mountain. Junagadh has a rich past ruled by several dynast, kings of Gujarat, Mughals and British Empire. The Nawabs of Junagadh belongs to the Pashtun clan from Afghanistan. The same is reflected in the architectural beauty and infrastructure of the city. Some of the top things to see in Junagadh includes Mahabat Maqbara, Uparkot Fort, Damodar Kund, Ashok Shilalekh of Ashoka Edicts, Dattatreya Temple, Darbar Hall Museum, Datar Hills, Sakkarbaug Zoological Garden, Wellington Dam, Moti Baugh Bahauddin Science College, Narsinh Mehta Choro, Girnar Taleti, Girnar Mountain, Adikadi vav, Navghan Kuvo and more. Some of the places to visit from Junagadh include Somnath Temple, Gir Sanctuary, Diu and Chorwad.

Food In Junagadh: You can find all Gujarati and Kathiawadi delicacy in Junagadh. Specialty items of the city are Ganthiya, Bhajiya, Narayan Bhel, Lassi and Khaman. Also, the milk sweets known as Penda & Barfi and Green Coconut Halwa are very famous in Junagadh.

One can say the history of Junagadh city is older than the history itself. The history of Junagadh starts from the Mauryan dynasty by Chandragupta Mauryan. He built the Uparkot Fort, the first fort of Junagadh. Also there are some caves and stone edicts which are dated around 250 BCE.