2008 Gujarat, Junagarh

ROHILAS IN GUJARAT AREA, INDIA -III

December 18-21, 2008

December 20

Junagarh was the capital of Gujarat under the Maurya and the Gupta dynasties. In the 15th century, it went under Muslim rule for the next several centuries, until around India's Independence, when its majority Hindu population forcibly prevented the Nawab from uniting it with Pakistan.

The Babi Nawabs of Junagarh built several impressive structures of the newer town, which is situated in the foothills of the Girnar. These include the Jami Mosque...

and the Mausoleums of Nawab Mahabat Khan...

and his prime minister, all built between 1878-1911.

The oldest part is the fort of Uperkot on the sacred hill Girnar. A stronghold of the Mauryan and Gupta empires, it is said to have withstood 16 sieges, in the course of 1000 years. But the place is not very well maintained.

Still it attracts a lot of student groups and other tourists.

A boy offered t0 serve as our guide for 20 Rupees.

A Hindu palace was converted by a Muslim ruler to the present-day Jami Mosque in a celebration of his conquest of Junagarh in 1470.

With a long flight of 120 steps, Adikadi Vav is an impressive step-well, which helped the city people survive during several of its sieges. Our guide said, two slave girls were bricked up alive to please gods to ensure good water supply. Now the water surface is covered with empty water bottles and a lot of other trash.

These days, Junagarh is like many other overcrowded Indian towns.

After lunch at a local restaurant, we left for Gondal, 37 miles further to the northeast.