Girnar

Getting there

• By air

  Rajkot is the closest airport to Junagadh, about 103 km away.

• By train

  Two express trains run to Junagadh on the Ahmedabad-Veraval line.

• By road

  ST and private buses run to Junagadh from other cities of Gujarat.

On the way

• The climb is 10,000 stone steps to the summit, best begun at dawn.
• Many Jain temples are locked from about 11 AM to 3 PM, so visit them outside those hours.

Elderly visitors

• The base, Girnar Taleti, is about 4 km east of Junagadh city centre.
• The Girnar ropeway is Asia's longest ropeway.

Rules to know

• Jains have been restricted from offering prayers at the Neminath Shikhar peak since 2016.

Why devotees come here

Girnar is a group of mountains near Junagadh in Gujarat, also called Girinagar. Jains believe the 22nd Tirthankar Neminath attained moksha from this hill, and Hindus visit it too. The Neminath temple on the first peak is the largest and oldest of the Jain temples here.

Jains regard Girnar as a holy pilgrimage. Here the 22nd Tirthankar Neminath attained omniscience, and later nirvana at its highest peak, Neminath Shikhar. Girnar Hill is believed to be the place of his nirvana. Hindus also come here as an important pilgrimage site, and at least one million pilgrims visit the Maha Shivaratri fair for pooja and parikrama of the hill.

The first peak, or Tunk, holds the black granite Neminath temple, built in 1128 AD. On the same peak, the Amba Mata temple draws newlyweds, who worship there for a happy marriage. The steep Dattatraya peak is topped by a shrine to a three-faced incarnation of Vishnu.

The Jain temples form a cluster of mosaic-decorated domes and stupas, about two-thirds of the way up the hill. Jain texts say Neminath attained moksha from this hill.

Festivals

• NovemberGirnar Parikrama

  Pilgrims gather on the hill for this festival.

• Magha month, January to FebruaryBhavnath Mela

  Five days of folk music and dancing, with nagas, Saivite holy men, at Bhavnath Mahadev Temple in Girnar Taleti.

• Each year, on Maha ShivaratriMaha Shivaratri fair

  At least one million pilgrims come for pooja and parikrama of the hill.

Tips for your visit

• Plan a whole day if you hope to reach the highest temples on the hill.
• November to February is the best time to visit.

Questions people ask