Girnar, Dattatreya pilgrimage place

aghori · Feb 9th, 2007, 04:17

As to Dattatreya devotee my Guru recommended to me to do pilgrimage to the place in Gujrat connected with him, i think it called Girnar 3km away from Jinagardh. I've never been to Gujrat before.
Did anyone visit this place?
I want to take a flight from Delhi to Gujrat. But don't know, how to reach this small place after landing in a city. And also if Girnar has places to stay. So any recommendations would be appreciated.

machadinha · Feb 9th, 2007, 04:22

Girnar Hill is right outside Junagadh. There's guesthouses in Junagadh alright, or you might find a place in some ashram or temple on the mountain if you're serious about your ways or have the right connections.

Junagadh should be easily reached from e.g. Ahmedabad.

aghori · Feb 9th, 2007, 04:49

Quote:

Junagadh should be easily reached from e.g. Ahmedabad.

Thanks for reply. Could you give more details on this one. Is there a flight to Junagadh from Ahmedabad? Or I should take a train? And if to go by land how many hours it takes?

machadinha · Feb 9th, 2007, 05:18

I'd expect an older member like yourself, and with your apparent interests, to be able to do some research of your own.

http://www.indiagroove.com/ seems to indicate around 7 hours by train from Ahmedabad. There seems to be a local airport at Keshod, but I wouldn't really bother unless you can find a convenient flight from Delhi, I'm not even sure if this serves regular internal flights (see http://www.airportsindia.org.in/ ). I assume there are buses from Ahmedabad which might be more practical. I couldn't tell you; I came by way of Jamnagar and going to Diu so I simply don't know. None of that is all that far.

Junagadh is hardly the arsehole of the world, although you might be forgiven for thinking so, I was under the same impression when I first heard of it (in a book on aghoris btw, maybe we're on the same streak here?) It's a reasonably important town in its own right I think, apart from any religious connotations; the mountain seems to be significant to the Dattatreya cult so sounds like your guru wasn't leading you on.

While I feel silly advertizing hotels from way back when, the Relief Hotel used to be a popular backpacker's pick there and from what I read here it still is. Like I said I found some welcoming enough sadhus on the mountain but this was not my pursuit. If you're serious about it you might well get lucky with them. Keep your wits about you and all that, it's never easy to interpret all that friendliness.

aghori · Feb 9th, 2007, 05:29

Quote:

seems to indicate around 7 hours by train from Ahmedabad.

This is rather long for me, because of my sadhana routine.
How long it takes from Keshod to Junagadh?
I guess from Delhi I could fly somewhere closer to the place then Ahmedabad?

Quote:

Junagadh is hardly the arsehole of the world,

I think, it will not be that bad, after being twice in Bihar and spending one year in Goverdhan.

machadinha · Feb 9th, 2007, 05:35

I mean this only half as cranky as it sounds, but how's about asking your guru? Or might it be one of those "let me set my disciple an impossible task" kind of situations?

Seriously, it's a major pilgrimage destination. Shouldn't be a problem. Get on a train and go over there, consider it part of your sadhana, I'm sure that's what your guru meant too, not to obsess over mundane transport complications. Aren't routines to be broken?

bijapuri · Feb 9th, 2007, 05:43

it's a long climb up that hill, but worth it.

aghori · Feb 9th, 2007, 10:27

Quote:

I mean this only half as cranky as it sounds,

What so bad about the place? Is it so poor and dirty? Are local people unfriendly to visitors?
It is always better to be prepared to worst.

Quote:

Get on a train and go over there, consider it part of your sadhana,

Depends. If there is faster way to reach the place I would prefer it. Otherwise train will do. I prefer trains to buses in India.

machadinha · Feb 9th, 2007, 17:59

There's nothing bad about the place, it's quite amazing. I was afraid I was getting a little cranky with your questions

Isn't aghora all about overcoming limitations and so on?

I gave a link for airports in India in post #4 above, that site is only open during business hours. Another is http://www.toandfromtheairport.com/gujarat.html . There are several airports serving the region but I'm not sure if they'd make your journey all that much easier. See what you come up with using those sites. You might want to look into Rajkot, Porbandar or Diu even, but I have no idea how easy these are to fly to. That Indian airports site links on to various companies, where you could check on available flights. For general interest only, I did Diu-Ahmedabad-Delhi by (bus and) train in under 24 hours I think.

There's a train link in the above post too; maps are at http://www.samit.org/irmap/ and http://www.indianrailways.gov.in/ .

Junagadh itself has some pretty sights (notably fort + baoris, or "stepwells," the one here being particularly impressive), some fine eateries, friendly people I thought, and the mountain is just amazing. If you have a real connection there I'm sure you could hang out for a while. If you've had enough, Gujarat itself is very interesting to explore and doesn't see a lot of foreign tourists.

So... looking forward to your reports

machadinha · Feb 9th, 2007, 18:10

Look what I found: Relief Hotel

There are mixed reports on it in IM's hotel listings section; meanwhile, their site has some general info on Junagadh. It mentions Rajkot as the nearest airport, but mentions only two daily flights to Mumbai (which doesn't necessarily mean there aren't any others).

Jorge Reverter · Feb 9th, 2007, 18:29

Last month of February 2006 I did the climb to Girnar Hill and I must say it was terribly hard (10,000 steps or something like that)
nothing to see with Palitana climb, much much harder.

On the other hand Junagadh is a very nice city with quite a lot of monuments and a good ambiance in the streets, in another message will try to send some pics, I think in my gallery or in my son's gallery(jorge jr) I've uploaded some pictures of the city.

I was in Relief Hotel and must say is very good with a great relation price/quality and probably with the best restaurant in town.

As I came by sleeper bus from Bhuj and don't know about transportation from Ahmedabad but there is a very interesting slow train to/from Diu, really not to Diu, exactly to Delwada and Una very close to Diu. From Gondal you have also few trains a day.

Jorge

machadinha · Feb 9th, 2007, 18:47

It's quite a climb yes, ooff. Set off early to avoid the heat, at least on the way up. Since everything has to be carried up here, pepsi and stuff also gets more expensive with each step (or at least I assume it still works that way).

There's some pics in my gallery, nothing to rave about though. I did some write-ups with them however. Including of how to your amusement you'll find that when you think you've finally reached the top, it turns out the real top is one more steep valley away...

Jorge Reverter · Feb 9th, 2007, 19:01

Have a look at some pictures taken in Girnar Hill and Junagadh.

Jorge

aghori · Feb 10th, 2007, 15:19

The place looks really beautiful!

Thanks for answers.

Feb 9th, 2007, 04:17	#1
aghori Senior Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Russia/Goverdhan Posts: 189	Girnar, Dattatreya pilgrimage place As to Dattatreya devotee my Guru recommended to me to do pilgrimage to the place in Gujrat connected with him, i think it called Girnar 3km away from Jinagardh. I've never been to Gujrat before. Did anyone visit this place? I want to take a flight from Delhi to Gujrat. But don't know, how to reach this small place after landing in a city. And also if Girnar has places to stay. So any recommendations would be appreciated.

Feb 9th, 2007, 04:22	#2
machadinha Not Your Guru Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: yörp Posts: 10,554	Girnar Hill is right outside Junagadh. There's guesthouses in Junagadh alright, or you might find a place in some ashram or temple on the mountain if you're serious about your ways or have the right connections. Junagadh should be easily reached from e.g. Ahmedabad. __________________ Reading tips, all picked up at IndiaMike : INDAX's A Comprehensive Guide To India / Dinoj Surendran's Desi Humor / ITHVC on Culture Shock & Travel Health / JetLag Travel Guides For the Undiscerning Traveller / India Travel Links

Feb 9th, 2007, 05:43	#7
bijapuri laid traps for troubadours Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Priustan Posts: 2,598	it's a long climb up that hill, but worth it. __________________ Focusing your life solely on making a buck shows a certain poverty of ambition. It asks too little of yourself. Because it's only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you realize your true potential. Barack Obama lookit me!!!: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bijapuri/ Utube fuzzy logic: http://youtube.com/profile_videos?user=bijapuri&p =r

Feb 9th, 2007, 19:01	#13
Jorge Reverter Maha Guru Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Murcia - Spain Posts: 1,141	Have a look at some pictures taken in Girnar Hill and Junagadh. Jorge Attached Thumbnails

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Feb 9th, 2007, 05:18	#4
machadinha Not Your Guru Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: yörp Posts: 10,554	I'd expect an older member like yourself, and with your apparent interests, to be able to do some research of your own. http://www.indiagroove.com/ seems to indicate around 7 hours by train from Ahmedabad. There seems to be a local airport at Keshod, but I wouldn't really bother unless you can find a convenient flight from Delhi, I'm not even sure if this serves regular internal flights (see http://www.airportsindia.org.in/ ). I assume there are buses from Ahmedabad which might be more practical. I couldn't tell you; I came by way of Jamnagar and going to Diu so I simply don't know. None of that is all that far. Junagadh is hardly the arsehole of the world, although you might be forgiven for thinking so, I was under the same impression when I first heard of it (in a book on aghoris btw, maybe we're on the same streak here?) It's a reasonably important town in its own right I think, apart from any religious connotations; the mountain seems to be significant to the Dattatreya cult so sounds like your guru wasn't leading you on. While I feel silly advertizing hotels from way back when, the Relief Hotel used to be a popular backpacker's pick there and from what I read here it still is. Like I said I found some welcoming enough sadhus on the mountain but this was not my pursuit. If you're serious about it you might well get lucky with them. Keep your wits about you and all that, it's never easy to interpret all that friendliness.

Feb 9th, 2007, 05:35	#6
machadinha Not Your Guru Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: yörp Posts: 10,554	I mean this only half as cranky as it sounds, but how's about asking your guru? Or might it be one of those "let me set my disciple an impossible task" kind of situations? Seriously, it's a major pilgrimage destination. Shouldn't be a problem. Get on a train and go over there, consider it part of your sadhana, I'm sure that's what your guru meant too, not to obsess over mundane transport complications. Aren't routines to be broken?

Feb 9th, 2007, 17:59	#9
machadinha Not Your Guru Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: yörp Posts: 10,554	There's nothing bad about the place, it's quite amazing. I was afraid I was getting a little cranky with your questions Isn't aghora all about overcoming limitations and so on? I gave a link for airports in India in post #4 above, that site is only open during business hours. Another is http://www.toandfromtheairport.com/gujarat.html . There are several airports serving the region but I'm not sure if they'd make your journey all that much easier. See what you come up with using those sites. You might want to look into Rajkot, Porbandar or Diu even, but I have no idea how easy these are to fly to. That Indian airports site links on to various companies, where you could check on available flights. For general interest only, I did Diu-Ahmedabad-Delhi by (bus and) train in under 24 hours I think. There's a train link in the above post too; maps are at http://www.samit.org/irmap/ and http://www.indianrailways.gov.in/ . Junagadh itself has some pretty sights (notably fort + baoris, or "stepwells," the one here being particularly impressive), some fine eateries, friendly people I thought, and the mountain is just amazing. If you have a real connection there I'm sure you could hang out for a while. If you've had enough, Gujarat itself is very interesting to explore and doesn't see a lot of foreign tourists. So... looking forward to your reports

Feb 9th, 2007, 18:10	#10
machadinha Not Your Guru Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: yörp Posts: 10,554	Look what I found: Relief Hotel There are mixed reports on it in IM's hotel listings section; meanwhile, their site has some general info on Junagadh. It mentions Rajkot as the nearest airport, but mentions only two daily flights to Mumbai (which doesn't necessarily mean there aren't any others).

Feb 9th, 2007, 18:29	#11
Jorge Reverter Maha Guru Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Murcia - Spain Posts: 1,141	Last month of February 2006 I did the climb to Girnar Hill and I must say it was terribly hard (10,000 steps or something like that) nothing to see with Palitana climb, much much harder. On the other hand Junagadh is a very nice city with quite a lot of monuments and a good ambiance in the streets, in another message will try to send some pics, I think in my gallery or in my son's gallery(jorge jr) I've uploaded some pictures of the city. I was in Relief Hotel and must say is very good with a great relation price/quality and probably with the best restaurant in town. As I came by sleeper bus from Bhuj and don't know about transportation from Ahmedabad but there is a very interesting slow train to/from Diu, really not to Diu, exactly to Delwada and Una very close to Diu. From Gondal you have also few trains a day. Jorge

Feb 9th, 2007, 18:47	#12
machadinha Not Your Guru Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: yörp Posts: 10,554	It's quite a climb yes, ooff. Set off early to avoid the heat, at least on the way up. Since everything has to be carried up here, pepsi and stuff also gets more expensive with each step (or at least I assume it still works that way). There's some pics in my gallery, nothing to rave about though. I did some write-ups with them however. Including of how to your amusement you'll find that when you think you've finally reached the top, it turns out the real top is one more steep valley away...

Feb 10th, 2007, 15:19	#14
aghori Senior Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Russia/Goverdhan Posts: 189	The place looks really beautiful! Thanks for answers.

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