Gujarat · 5 destinations & hidden spots
Bhavnath, Junagadh District, Gujarat
Mount Girnar is older than the Himalayas and sacred to both Jains and Hindus. Rising 1,118 meters with 9,999 ancient carved stone steps, it is crowned by the 12th-century Neminath Jain Temple and Guru Dattatreya shrine. Asia's longest ropeway ferries pilgrims up in just 8 minutes over breathtaking cliff drops.
Uparkot Fort, Junagadh, Gujarat
Founded by Chandragupta Maurya in 319 BCE, Uparkot Fort withstood 16 historic sieges. The sprawling fortress contains the famous 2nd-century three-tiered Buddhist rock caves, the monolithic Adi-Kadi Vav stepwell carved entirely from living rock without bricks, and the massive brass cannon Nilam Top.
Near Junagadh Railway Station, Junagadh, Gujarat
Constructed between 1878 and 1892 for Nawab Mahabat Khan II, this jaw-dropping royal mausoleum features an architectural fusion found nowhere else in India. Four towering minarets are enveloped by winding outer spiral staircases, surmounted by onion domes, French-style windows, and ornate stone cornices.
Hidden Gem
At the foot of Mount Girnar, Junagadh, Gujarat
Nestled at the base of Girnar mountain, Damodar Kund is a sacred holy water body considered spiritually akin to the Ganges for ancestral rites. It is intimately tied to Gujarat's beloved 15th-century poet-saint Narsinh Mehta, who bathed here daily while composing immortal devotional hymns like 'Vaishnav Jan To'.
Near Girnar Taleti, Junagadh, Gujarat
Housed within an ASI protective pavilion on the road to Girnar, a massive black granite boulder bears fourteen major edicts inscribed in Brahmi script by Mauryan Emperor Ashoka around 250 BCE preaching non-violence and social harmony. The rock also bears later inscriptions by Rudradaman I (150 CE) and Skandagupta (455 CE).
