girnar-parikrama-spiritual-guide-junagadh

English Transliteration

|| Girnar Parikrama — Complete Spiritual Guide ||
(Five Sacred Peaks of Girnar — Junagadh, Gujarat)

Girnar is Gujarat's most sacred mountain and one of India's most important pilgrimage sites.
Located near Junagadh city in Saurashtra, Gujarat, the mountain stands 1,117 meters high.
Girnar is revered by Hindus, Jains, and Nath Sampradaya practitioners alike.

The Girnar Parikrama (circumambulation) covers approximately 36 km around the entire mountain
and is traditionally done during Kartik month (October–November) — the Lili Parikrama.

|| The Five Sacred Peaks of Girnar ||

1. Ambaji Peak (970 m) — Amba Mata Temple (Shakti Peeth)
   The goddess here is the fierce form of Amba Mata.
   The temple is ancient and one of Gujarat's most revered Shakti shrines.

2. Gorakshanath Peak (1,097 m) — Gorakshanath Cave Temple
   The Nath Sampradaya saint Gorakshanath is said to have meditated here.
   The cave contains a fire (dhuni) that has been burning continuously for centuries.

3. Dattatreya Peak (1,117 m) — Highest Peak of Girnar
   Lord Dattatreya (the trinity of Brahma-Vishnu-Shiva) is the presiding deity.
   The summit has a temple and a sacred footprint (padukas) of Dattatreya.

4. Kalika Mata Peak — Temple of Goddess Kalika
   An ancient temple of Maa Kalika, the fierce form of Parvati.

5. Jain Temples — Five Jain Temples cluster
   Neminath (22nd Jain Tirthankara) attained liberation (moksha) at Girnar.
   The Jain temple complex at mid-mountain is exquisitely carved.

|| Girnar Lili Parikrama (Annual Pilgrimage) ||

The Lili (green) Parikrama is held on Kartik Purnima (full moon of Kartik month).
Lakhs of devotees circumambulate the entire 36 km mountain route overnight.
"Lili" refers to the greenery of the mountain and the freshness of the sacred journey.

Best time: Kartik Purnima (October–November 2026: November 5)
Duration: 10–14 hours (overnight walk)

|| Trek Information ||

Total steps to Dattatreya Peak: 10,000+ steps
Ropeway available: Ambaji Temple to near peak (saves 8,000 steps)
Water: Natural springs along the route — Bhavnath Mahadev spring at base

|| Gujarati Devotional Verse — Girnar ||

Girnar no girishvar, Dattatrey no dham,
Amba, Gorakh, Neminath, sahu dev ne pranaam.
(Girnar the mountain lord, Dattatreya's abode,
Salutations to Amba, Gorakh, Neminath — all divine.)

|| Gujarati Stuti — ગિરનાર પર્વત ||

ગિરનાર ગિરિ ઉચ્ચ, ગગન ને આઘો,
ત્રણ ધર્મ ના ધૂણી, ભક્ત ઉર માઘો.
દત્ત, અંબા, ગોરખ, નેમિ ના ચરણ,
ગિરનાર પ્રદક્ષિણા, ભક્ત ઉર ઝરણ.

(Girnar's peak soars high, far into the sky,
The sacred fire of three faiths, devotees' hearts magnified.
At the feet of Datta, Amba, Gorakh, Nemi,
Girnar's parikrama, devotees' hearts like a spring.)

|| Sacred Mantras ||

Dattatreya Mantra:
ॐ दत्त दिगम्बर — Om Datta Digambara
ॐ द्रां दत्तात्रेयाय नमः — Om Dram Dattatreyaya Namah

Amba Mata Mantra (Girnar):
ॐ ऐं ह्रीं क्लीं अम्बायै नमः — Om Aim Hrim Klim Ambayai Namah

|| How to Reach Girnar ||

By Air: Rajkot Airport (105 km) or Diu Airport (90 km)
By Train: Junagadh Railway Station (direct trains from Ahmedabad, Rajkot, Veraval)
By Road: From Ahmedabad (330 km), Rajkot (105 km), Veraval (80 km)

From Junagadh City: Girnar base (Bhavnath) is 5 km from Junagadh city center

|| Nearby Attractions ||

• Bhavnath Mahadev Temple (base of Girnar) — ancient Shiva temple with Mahashivaratri fair
• Uparkot Fort (in Junagadh city) — 2,000-year-old fort with Buddhist caves
• Ashoka's Rock Edicts (near Girnar base) — 3rd century BC inscriptions
• Sakkarbaug Zoo (Junagadh city) — famous for Asiatic lions

|| Om Datta Digambara ||