Dramtaic Domain

Junagadh- The Fort town of Junagadh immediately brings to mind its dog-loving Nawab of Junagadh, who regularly staged canine wedding celebrations and gave every single one of his 800 dogs, a room of its own- fully equipped with a telephone and its personal valet! While these rollickings may well endear the eccentric Nawab to dog-lovers, the lovely fortification is one of the most picturesque little towns in Gujarat. Though Junagadh may be off the beaten track for tourists, those who listen to another beat will be well rewarded by taking this diversion.

BET YOU DIDNT KNOW THIS
Junagadh is suppposed to date back to the times of Ashoka (250 BC), and after the Battle of Kalinga.

HOW TO REACH
By Air:
No way unless you consider jumping from one.

By Train:
List of trains:
Somnath mail
Girnar Express
Veraval-Rjkot mail

By Road
Various private bus serviced to Junagrh.It is connected by road from different part of the states.

GETTING AROUND
Local transport is provided by auto-rickshaws, though bicycles are great for getting around; with a bit of leg-work you can even cycle to the foot of Mt Girnar. Run-of-the-mill bikes can be had from a shop just west of Chittakhana Chowk, or Relief Hotel.

WHERE TO SHACK UP
Junagadh offers average, simple accommodation: a decent choice for budget travellers, but few with any claims to comfort or mod cons. Anand,

Bus Station Rd (22657)
Clean and fresh with some a/c rooms, and they guarantee to change the sheets daily.
Rs100-500.

GTDC Girnar,
Mejwadi Gate (21201). Government-run hotel in the quiet outskirts of town: clean but impersonal with a reasonable restaurant that serves dinner from 6pm. Rs225-500.

Jay Shree,

Jayshree Rd, off Kalwa Chowk (21032).
Basic but friendly.
Up to Rs100-350.
National,

Kalwa Chowk (27891).
Carpeted, clean and comfy, and very good value. Delicious food - veg, fish and meat - in downstairs restaurant.
Rs100-500.

Raj,

Dhal Rd, Chittakhana Chowk (26236).
Good-value, friendly Muslim-run hotel with large rooms and attached bathrooms, plus a dorm.
Up to Rs100.

Relief,

Dhal Rd, Chittakhana Chowk (20280).
Homely, if slightly grubby, rooms, some with attached bathroom and a/c. Average restaurant serves breakfast as early as 5am. The manager prides himself on supplying reliable tourist information.
Rs100-500

WHERE OT EAT AND DRINK
Hotel food halls are supplemented by streetside stalls, and one or two restaurants.
Philips,

MG Rd, Chittakhana Chowk.
Excellent value all-you-can-eat Gujarati thalis and thick lassis (the sign in English is vertical by the door).
Open 11am-11pm.

Santoor,

south of Chittakhana Chowk on MG Rd. Excellent, good-value south Indian and Punjabi dishes. Open 9.45am-3pm & 5-11pm. Taj,

Dhal Rd, Chittakana Chowk
. Good place for fish, with great if underspiced sabji, and books on Gandhi to read while you wait. Open 9am-noon for breakfast, noon-2.30pm & 7-10.30pm for meals

THINGS TO DO

When you're making your way up to the hill of Girnar to see Junagadh's famous Jain temples, you'll find Ashoka's edicts inscribed upon a boulder situated en route.

Ashoka seems to have had a perfectly good reason to remind Jungadh and its environs- about the horrors of war and the blessings of peace. Being one of the richest areas in Gujarat it was also the centrifugal point of military and political action - the fall out of which was many bloody battles. Propagating the message of peace The Jain temples on Girnar Hill (said to rival those of Palitana) also act as a vivid contrast to the battle-scarred embattlements of the fort. The hike up to the temples covering the Girnar Hill is much gentler so do make an effort to discover them when you're here. Honeymooning couples hoist themselves up the 2,000 odd steps to get the blessings of Amba Mata. Great city views.

Fanning across the outskirts if the town is the Uparkot the walled city with its own palace, pools, temples, mosques and gardens. Built by the great empire builder Chandragupta Maurya, its subsequent occupants made their own additions to both the fort and the city. Suvarnagirinagar, as this city was originally called, eventually fell into decline. In the 10th century and sank into oblivion. It is said a woodcutter discovered the dilapidated strong hold and informed the Chavda Rajputs ruling at the Vanthali, 8km away, about Jirnagadh Fort. Eventually the old fort and the city came to take another form of this name and became a centre of military action once again under the Chavda's (Rahs). By the time the British got their hands on it (1802-1919) was renamed Junagadh. The Nawabs of Junagadh migrated to Pakistan (the dog-loving nawab wanted Junagadh to be merged with Pakistan at the time of Partition, but the tiny kingdom remained with India and he went into exhale).

Despite the onslaught of blaring music from the pan shop and the clutter of hotels and restaurants lining the Reay Gate which gives you entry to the centre of the city, its past imposes its will upon you. Check out the museum in the Rang Mahal (the palace), which is flooded with ancient weaponry, furniture, ancient coins, stuffed animals and much else. The Aaina Mahal (Palace of Mirrors), in the eastern part of town has beautiful interiors.

SHOPPING

Junagarh is famous for its fruits, especially mangoes and sapodilla and you can get a bunch of them during November and December. Don't Miss it!

GENERAL INFORMATION:
STD CODE
0385