CHAPTER 11 – Some Important Features of Junagadh City

Chapter outline and page reference:

Introduction 6
Chowks of Central Junagadh City 10
City Wall and Gates 15
Educational Institutes and Training Centres 21
Agricultural University 21
Ayurvedic College 22
Bahauddin College 22
Balaji Education and Charitable Trust 24
Carmel Convent School 25
College of Computer, Science and Information Technology 25
District Institute of Education and Training 26
Dr Subhash Mahila Arts, Commerce and Home Science College 26
Dr Subhash Technical Campus 27
Government Polytechnic 27
Industrial Training Institute 27
Junagadh Junior Chamber Education Trust 28
KA Pandhi English Medium Law College 28
Lok Sahitya Vidyalaya 28
Mahavir Vidya Mandir 28
MM Ghodasara Mahila Arts and Commerce College 29
Narsinh Vidya Mandir 29
NIT Technical Institute 30
Noble Group of Institutions 31
Orientation and Study Centre 31
Patel Kelavani Mandal College of Technology and B Ed 31
PT Education 32
Shastri Swami Shree Dharmajivandasji Institute of Information Technology 32
State Police Training College 32
Swaminarayan Gurukul 33
Swami Vivekanand Vidya Mandir 34
Yadav College of Computer Science 35
Entertainment Venues 35
Cinemas 35
Gymkhana 36
Suraj Fun World and Cineplex 36
Swimming Pool 37
Vanraj Water Park 37
Hospitals 37
Civil Hospital 37
Red Cross Building 38
Leprosy Hospital 39
Jail 40
Lakes, Kunds (Tanks) and Vavs (Step-wells) 42
Bhaila Vav 42
Dubli Lake 43
Narsinh Mehta Lake 43
Pari Talav 44
Sitala Kund 45
Vaishali Vav 46
Visal Vav 47
Places of Worship 47
Christian Churches 47
Catholic Church 47
Protestant Church 49
Hindu Temples 50
Amba Mata Temple 50
Ambika Temple 50
Baijnath Temple 51
Bhidphanchan Temple 51
Bhutnath Temple 52
Bhuvneshwar Temple 54
Budheshwar Temple 54
Chamunda Temple 55
Chandramauleshwar Temple 56
Fulia Hanuman Temple 56
Gauda Akhara Ashram 57
Gita Temple 57
Gopal Temple 57
Hanuman Temple 58
Hatkeshwar Temple 58
Himja Mata Temple 59
Hinglaj Temple 59
Jagannath Temples 60
Kal Bhairo Temple 61
Kashi Vishvanath Temples 62
Kashtabhanjan Hanuman Temple 62
Keshav Nathji Temple 63
Koteshwar Temple 63
Krishna Pranami Temple 63
Lakshmi Narayan Temple 63
Mahalakshmi Temple 66
Mangeshkar Temple 67
Mangnath Temple 67
Maruti Hanuman Temple 68
Matri Mataji Temple 68
Moti Haveli 69
Mundiya Swami Temple 70
Nagbai Mataji Temple 70
Narsinh Mehta’s Choro 70
Nilkanth Temple 75
Omkareshwar Temple 76
Rajrajeshwar Temple 76
Ramchandraji Temple 77
Ramji Temple 78
Ranchhodji Temple 78
Saraswati Temple 79
Siddhi Vinayak Temple 80
Sidhnath Temple 80
Surya Temple 80
Swaminarayan Temples 81
Trujreshwar Temple 84
Verai Mataji Temple 85
More Temples in Junagadh 85
Jain Temples (Derasars) 101
Svetambar 102
Digambar 103
Muslim Mosques 103
Ali al-Iraji Mosque 103
Baba Mia Bawa Dargah Mosque 103
Champa Falia Mosque 104
Chistiya Mosque 104
Chittakhana Mosque 105
Hasan Shah Mosque 105
Jumma Mosque 105
Khawaja Garib Nawaz Mosque 106
Madina Mosque 106
Nathibu Mosque 107
Sabri Mosque 107
Sunni Borwad Mosque 108
Syad Wada Minara Mosque 113
More Mosques in Junagadh 114
Muslim Muqbaras and Dargahs 116
Bahauddin Muqbara 116
Bara Saiyad 118
Chittakhana Muqbara 119
Do Pir Dargah 121
Geban Shah Pir Dargah 121
Ghori Pir Muqbara 122
Hazarat Miyan Mahmud Shah Dargah 122
Hazrat Gebanshah Mazar 122
Jamiyal Shah Datar Dargah 123
Khirni Shah Dargah 124
Lal Shah Baba Dargah 125
Mahabat Muqbara 125
Maji’s (or Najubibi’s) Muqbara 127
Nim Wale Sarkar Dargah 129
Nuri Shah Baba Dargah 129
More Dargahs in Junagadh 129
Muslim Cemeteries 131
Public Buildings 131
Collectorate Building 132
District Court 132
Fire Station 133
Libraries 133
Post Office 135
Railway Station 135
Town Hall 136
Museums 136
Junagadh Museum 137
Science Museum 151
Palace Buildings 152
City Rajmahal 153
Rang Mahal 154
Rasiknivas 155
Parks and Gardens 155
Jaffar Maidan 155
Lalbagh 155
Motibagh 156
Raijibagh 157
Sakkarbagh Zoo 157
Sardarbagh 163
Sonapur 166
Research Stations 167
Cattle Breeding Farm 167
Directorate of Groundnut Research 167
Inland Fisheries Research Centre 168
Regional Forensic Science Laboratory 169
Some Suburbs, Once Villages, of Junagadh 169
Dolatpura 169
Joshipura 169
Khadiya 170
Khamdhrol 171
Sabalpur 171
Saragvada 172
Timbavadi 172
Zanzarada 172

Chapter preview (first two pages only):

Figure 1. Archways near Diwan Chowk, Junagadh (photo by Wainer 2008).

Introduction
The ancient city of Junagadh is crowded with remarkable and attractive sites to interest visitors with a diverse variety of tastes. Dunlop (2001, page 82) noted that: ‘Mosque domes and minarets characterize the skyline of Junagadh… The town center is full of character, with lively bazaars, city gates, mosques, mausoleums, and attractive old buildings’. Spurling (2007, page 748) found Junagadh very agreeable: ‘Junagadh is a seductive little city, practically void of tourists, and ideal for aimless meanderings. It’s an ancient, fortified city at the base of spectacular Girnar Hill, which towers over town like a cloudy, holy spectre. The area around the Durbar Hall Museum is dotted with exotic old buildings, and crumbling Uperkot fort is properly spooky’.
The Archaeological Survey of India has officially designated four sites in the Junagadh and Girnar area, in its list of 203 Monuments of National Importance in Gujarat State. These sites are the Ashokan Edict Rock, the Buddhist Caves at Uparkot, the caves at Baba Pyara and Khapra Khodia, immediately south and north of Uparkot respectively, and the ancient mound at Intwa in the Girnar Forest (Archaeological Survey of India 2011a, Wikipedia 2013a). Purohit (1974–75) wrote a Gujarati article about important places to visit at Junagadh and Girnar.
The Junagadh Municipal Corporation (2011) has prepared a brochure, with descriptive notes and a map (see Figure ?), of a heritage walk of about 2.5 km in central Junagadh, visiting 12 sites on route, mostly impressive late Nawab Babi period buildings constructed during the later years of the 19th century or very early in the 20th century. An exception to this is the Chittakhana Muqbara, where at least two of the structures date from the second half of the 18th century. Buildings at Narsinh Mehta’s Choro are not old, but the site commemorates a man who lived in the 15th century.

Figure 2. Junagadh Heritage Walk. 1 – Narsinh Mehta’s Choro, 2 – Jail, 3 – Sardar Gate (Reay Gate) and Railway Station, 4 – Mahabat Muqbara and Bahauddin Muqbara, 5 – Jumma Masjid, 6 – Mahabat Madrassa, 7 – Chittakhana Muqbara, 8 – Civil Hospital and Ladies Hospital, 9 – Girls High School, 10 – Library, 11 – Diwan Chowk, 12 – Circle Chowk (from Junagadh Municipal Corporation 2011).