I wish I would have been stranded here during the lockdown period. A place where you could experience serenity.
Picture Credit : Girnar Darshan (Instagram)
The inspiration to write a post on Girnar comes from Jainism. If you had followed me on wordpress, you would have known already that I have written many blog posts related to Jainism. But, for the first time ever I am writing a travelogue inspired through Jainism.
Little did I know about Girnar back in 2018. After watching numerous videos and looking at those breathtaking views I had decided to visit this place. It finally happened in the month of November!
Not everything you wish to get comes easily. My trip was quite adventurous. I happened to be there around the same time as Girnar Parikrama was being held. Of course I knew that I would be in the midst of about a million people but that didn’t discouraged me.
With a determined mind and soul, I reached there through multiple means of transportation. There were some restrictions imposed by the local administration due to large gathering which has caused some inconvenience. (I would suggest you not to visit Girnar during this period if you are not going there for Parikrama because you might face some difficulties.)
The ascent started early in the morning as we planned to reach the Neminath Temple (3800 steps approx). If you need to go even further you should start at least around 4 am. There are many derasar(temples) located at different foot steps and you can even reach the hilltop which is at 10000 steps.
Some Jain devotees can climb without having food and water. But, I would advise you to carry a water bottle, some pain relief sprays and necessary medicines along with you. If you are a follower of Jainism and want to perform puja then carry “puja clothes”.
We had reached NEMINATH BHAGWAN TOONK around 9 am. Witnessed pakshal puja. Performed kesar puja. Got some snacks(bhaata) to consume it there itself. Spent some time to perform some religious activities and visited all the other temples. Started for the sahasavan in the afternoon. Performed puja and left for the taleti. We reached taleti around 6 pm. That was it!
But…
I guess you would want to learn more about the experience. So, let me share with you some really interesting insights about that place and some required travel information.
Why was it an extraordinary experience?
It feels like soul-searching ends here at Girnar. As if you are experiencing already what it feels like to be in heaven. You have reached the state of mind where you don’t want to think about anything else. You are in awe of everything you see and experience. You would instantly feel a unique connection with the architecture, history and the idol and of course the beauty of that place would mesmerize you.
Do you know the history?
The idol of Tirthankara Neminath at Girnar is the oldest one in the world (approx 84785 years old). Krishna Maharaja(Vasudev), on Lord Neminath’s consent, got a new temple built beneath the Gnan-Shila and installed the idol of Lord Neminath there. So, this idol was installed when Neminath Tirthankara was alive.
On that occasion, Krishna Maharaja asked Lord Neminath, “O Supreme Being! Till what time will this idol reside in my temple?” To which Lord Neminath replied, “The idol will remain in your temple until the city of Dwarka remains. When Dwarka city will get burnt, Goddess Ambika will take the idol to a cave of Kanchangiri (Girnar) where it will be worshipped by the celestial beings. After 2000 years of my attaining salvation, Ratnasha Shravak, with the aid of Goddess Ambika, will bring the idol out of the cave and install it on Raivatgiri (Girnar). He will build a new temple and worship the Lord there. Until the end of the 5th epoch of the current time cycle, this idol will stay on Raivatgiri. In this way, this idol will be worshipped on the Girnar Mountain for a period of 1 lakh 3 thousand and 250 years. Thereafter, when the 6th epoch begins, Goddess Ambika will take the idol to Patal-Lok (a region below the earth) and the idol will be worshiped there thereon.” Thus, Lord Neminath narrated the wonderful and mind-boggling history of the idol of Lord Neminath.
Read more: https://jainsite.com/jainism_post/girnar-jain-tirth-history-part-3/#ixzz75OyOLPLL
How could you reach there?
- Flight: If you are a foreigner, arriving at the Ahmedabad International Airport(Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport) would be an ideal option. Then you could book a ticket for bus/train whichever suits you.
- Bus: Local traveller could easily find many options to reach Junagadh. Junagadh is only 8km away from Girnar, and you will have to pick a local ride to get to the temple from the city.
- Train: You could reach Junagadh through rail as well. From there you could find a local ride like an autorickshaw. It can drop you at the Bhavnath Taleti. That would be your final destination.
Where would you stay?
There are plenty of options available at an affordable price near Bhavnath Taleti. You could easily book any Dharamshala/hotel online or on a call. You could get AC/Non AC options as well.
Highlights :
- Doesn’t matter if you are a jain or a non-jain, you would not want to miss the daily early morning ‘ Pakshal Puja’.
- The early morning view is breathtaking. Ascend as early as possible to reach the TOONK and get a glimpse of this natural beauty.
Picture Credit: Girnar Darshan (Instagram)
- Sahasavan is a must visit to understand the history and significance of Girnar. For me, serenity is synonymous to sahasavan.
- If you are fond of wildlife and lucky enough, you would catch a glimpse of an Asiatic Lion😜.
- It is believed that 20 tirthankars of next chouveesi will attain Moksha from Girnar mountain. Also, 22nd Tirtankara of present chouveesi have attained moksha and Kevalgyan from this place.
- Some interesting facts here – Girnar Darshan Blog
- The caves are quite difficult to explore, but if you are physically fit it’s worth visiting once.
- There are many other attractions in proximity and you could easily get the details on the internet.
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Sahyre 