Girnar Lili Parikrama Shivratri Mela Junagadh City News Gujarat India

Girnar Parikrama draws thousands in Rajkot City.

Junagadh City, one of the most important Historical Places in Gujarat, draws the attention of thousands of travelers from across the state during Shivratri Mela, Girnar parikrama and Girnar climbing competition. Like every year, this year too, a large number of people across the state have come to the city for performing the 36-km 'Lili Parikrama' (spiritual walk) around the Girnar Parvat.

The parikrama, as usual, began on Thursday night, the day of Tulsi Vivah, also known as Dev Diwali, from the foot of the mountain, where the pilgrims spent the night. On Friday morning, the parikrama was started from Dudheshwar Mahadev temple.

They would spend the night at the Saint Jinabava's hut(Jinabava ni Madhi). The next day they would reach Malvela, the place surrounded by high climbers located in the midst of Girnar forest.

The next morning, they leave for southern forest and reach to Bordevi, temple of Goddess Ambika. On Tuesday morning, the pilgrims would return to Bhavnath Mandir Taleti at the foot of the mountain.

Authorities like Junagadh Municipal Corporation, health department, state transport, forest, water supply, police, in addition to social and religious organizations, are on the job of helping about one million pilgrims expected this year.

The event also attracts a large number of youngsters cutting across religious lines and regions. According to a popular belief, the Pandavas, after winning the war at Kurukshetra, did the 'parikrama' to seek God's blessings.

Though the event began on Thursday, about 68,000 piece-loving people had already completed their journey to avoid heavy traffic, sources said.

Mahashivratri - Procession of Naga babas - Bhavnath Temple

Lakhs have thronged Junagadh to attend its famous five day Bhavnath fair which ends on Shivratri with the procession of Naga Babas.These saints are followers of Nag cult and live in thick forests or cave in mountains and hills.

They appear in public only once in a year.This is to attend the procession in the foot of the hill known as Mt. Girnar.The saints live completely bare and are said to possess super natural powers.

These naga babas bathe in a kund here and it is said that even the Lord Shiva comes to bath in the form of Naga baba.The festival ends with the mass bath of bare babas here.

Lots of foreigners attracted by the tales of the supernatural power visit Mt.Girnar.

This year over ten lakh people have visited the fair which is to end tonight. District administration has made special arrangements for the devotees.This place is very near Somnath temple, one of the 12 jyotirlingas of the Lord Shiva.

Though Shivratri is celebrated at Somnath at a big scale, the charm of five day fair shadows events at Somnath temple.The importance of Somnath can be realized from the fact that traditionally, the travel of 12 jyotirlingas start from Somnath Mandir.This is the first Jyotirlinga in the travel circuit.

Junagadh Events Saurashtra Gujarat India

Events in JUNAGADH:-

Shivratri Mela – In Junagadh-Saurastra, At the foot of Girnar mountain (Taleti) in the month of MAHA 9 starts on mela for next five days. About ten thousand people visit.

The city of Junagadh, situated at the foot of Mount Girnar, is famous as the site of many historical events, dating from the remote past. The Bhavnath Mahadev Temple, located at the foot of Girnar, is so ancient that its precise, origins are unknown. The Bhavnath temple is surrounded by many equally ancient and holy places. Buddhist caves are also found in and around at Upperkot, Junagadh.

In Junagadh,A visit to Tourism of Gujarat, offers a golden opportunity to the tourist to undertake a tour across Gujarat and also to the bright and charming Bhavnath fair, being celebrated in Gujarat, India. Tourism of Gujarat, offers travel related information that Bhavnath fair in Gujarat, India, is home to a multitude of tourists and devotees who throng the location to be part of the mammoth experience. Bhavnath Fair, in Gujarat, India, is held in Junagadh, annually, with the fair coinciding with the grandiose and very famous festival of Shivratri, being celebrated in the same month as the Bhavnath fair of Junagadh, in Gujarat, India. Bhavnath fair, is dedicated to Lord Shiva and a lot of revelry goes on in the Shiva temples and along with that the temples are visited by Naga Sadhus, and watching them is a novel and enigmatic experience.

The fair during Mahashivaratri is held for five days and takes place during February, and the events associated with it are colourful indeed. The mahapuja of Lord Shiva takes place at midnight, in this temple, on the 14th day of the dark half of the month of Magh. When the puja starts, naga bavas living nearby move towards the fair seated on elephants, holding flags, and blowing conch shells, sounding tungis and turis. It is firmly believed that Lord Shiva himself visits the shrine on this occasion. Girnar is said to be the abode of the nine Nathas, who are immortal and eighty-four siddhas or spiritually elevated souls all of whom also visit the temple, in their invisible spiritual bodies.

Visitors are served free meals by the organisers. Special stalls sell idols, rosaries brought by vendors from Ayodhya and Mathura, utensils of brass and copper, sweets and fruits.

Girnar Parikrama:- In Junagadh-Saurastra,Starts from Kartik 11 to 15 thousand people. The periphery of Girnar hills on foot about 40 km. Enjoy the religious and natural beauty.

Girnar Competition:- In Junagadh-The historical city, Girnar hill, home to several shrines held sacred by Hindus and Jains, will host an annual competition next month that will see school and college students scurry up and down 2,200 steps on its slopes.

Anyone who climbs up 5500 feet within 2 hours gets a certificate from the Government of Gujarat, and the winner gets lots of prizes.

The event Feb 3 is being organised by the Gujarat government's Sports, Youth Services and Cultural Activities Department and the Junagadh district administration.

The competition is open to all students in schools and colleges. The participants are categorised into 14-18 years and 19-35 years. The men in the former category have to traverse 2,200 steps uphill and downhill in a span of one hour and 15 minutes. The time limit for women in the same category is two hours. The criterion for the older category of candidates of both genders is the same.

Girnar Hill, around 300 km from Ahmedabad, has around 10,000 stone steps to climb before one finally reaches the ultimate peak of Dattatreya.

This Girnar competition was started in 1971 by a local newspaper, Phoolchab, as a way to mark its golden jubilee. The newspaper held the event until 1979 before handing it over to the Junagadh civic administration.

Mount Girnar is sacred to Hindus and Jains. It also attracts people with its charm of the nearby Gir forest that is home to Asiatic lions. The Girnar forest too has 35 lions.

Many 'sadhaks' or ascetics had laid their lives to rest on the mountain, most notably, the fourth Jain tirthankar Neminath, adding to its sanctity.

The mount is home to a beautiful Jain temple complex on a small plateau, followed by the Ambaji Mata temple situated on one of the peaks.

Then there are steps rising and descending to the Gorakhnath shrine. There is also a spot venerated as the place of the Pir, sacred to Muslims.