Aug 11, 2024 05:12 PM
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Mount Girnar is located very close to Junagadh and is the biggest mountain in Gujrat. I was already in Junagadh early in 2024 for a different reason. I did have plans to visit some architectural sites before returning home. However, I ditched the idea in favour of a short climb to Mount Girnar as many seemed to favour it there and I reckoned it wouldn’t be a bad idea and a refreshing change to kill time rather than just visiting some architectural sites. However, I was quite tired owing to past day experiences and couldn’t lift myself from my hotel bed until it was almost afternoon. After lunch, however, I decided to visit Mt. Girnar.
MY EXPERIENCE:
It was already noon and well past 40 degree centigrade. Probably, not the best time to start a hill climb. This wasn’t really even a trek. There were steps carved out of rock which went up and down with sites of deities and temples in between. Seemed easy enough. But I was in for a surprise. One could walk or trek up Mt. Girnar. There is a route, even with steps at places. But there is also a cable car facility to take you up to the height equivalent 4500 steps being climbed. Since I was starting well into the afternoon, I decided to opt for the cable car. Upon reaching, to go further, one has to climb an additional 3000-3500 steps, I think it was. The highest point is at around 3666 ft. above sea level. There is a Jain Derasar, Guru Dattareya Temple, Ambaji Temple and Guru Goraknath temple one can reach by climbing here on.
First I took a ride on the cable car which was equivalent to climbing 4500 steps. One has to buy a ticket for the round trip or one way trip at the cable car station. This was a steep and relatively fast ride and made me nervous. Gave me a few goosebumps. Overall, I found the cable car ride to be more modern than the ones back in Dhanaulti and Massourie in Uttar Pradesh. Seemed more reliable too. Some say one can sometimes see wild lions at the foothills from the cable car many feet above. I didn’t see any there, however.
It was really, really hot and dry and already during my onward climb, I was beginning to have doubts about whether I would be able to come back in time to use the cable car back to the foothills. Such was the heat that I started wondering if it was beyond 45 degrees. Cable car service ends at 5 p.m. But I made my way speedily until very far, stopping in between at some temples. I made a few stops and eventually the first person I asked as to how far it was, mentioned that it was only another 200 steps away. So, it had been good progress. But these last steps were very steep. I was very thirsty and after some more climbing, I stopped for water at a point. If the earlier guy was right I might’ve been close to 100 steps by now. But another guy there mentioned it was 300 steps away. So, I didn’t know anymore. But I could see the top and it didn’t look 300 steps away. But it sure looked steep.
But both the onward and return journey had climbing to be done. It was not all downhill while returning, which is generally the case. By my reckoning, it would be more tiring when returning. Perhaps more climbing to do overall, while returning. Although I had made good progress, I started having these thoughts and my legs were quivering and I was dehydrated in the open with temperatures around 45+ degree celsius atop some hill. Back at the cable car station, I’d also seen some people being carried back by some others. The heat and the climb had gotten to them. Anyway, climbing Mt. Girnar hadn’t really been the main purpose of my trip there. That was just something I had decided on, as an afterthought. I reckoned it would be safer and more sensible to start my return journey from where I was, considering I was dehydrated and feeling tired. I also wanted to make it back to the cable car station by 5 p.m. Otherwise, I would have to go down another 4500 steps on foot. I had no idea where that would end. But I did know the foothills of Girnar are home to around 60 wild Asiatic lions. Fancy meeting one on foot? I didn’t know the odds of that happening but maybe this was not the best time to find out. I had a plane to catch the next day. Having said that, there are people who walk down and up the hill every day.
So, I started off on my way back. Progress was steady, but slow. I stopped to drink water here and there more often. I was getting out of breath more often, as I had anticipated. The views from the hill were good but had a blurry feel to it in heavy sunlight and heat. I could see a lake somewhere at the bottom. I was quietly sitting at a shady edge at some point when suddenly a trio of people came and sat there, panting. They were on their onward journey and blurted out, “Yahi ek jagah hai jahan chaon hai.” They sat there chatting and panting before eventually moving on. I stopped quite often but returned in the end with 1 hour to spare before the cable car service ends. I rested for half an hour and took in the views before returning to the foothills by cable car.
TO CONCLUDE:
That was it. Short and scenic experience! I only didn’t manage to visit the temple at the very top. But a good decision to return when I did, I think, as I hadn’t done any climbing in recent times and not in such sweltering heat in a long time. My legs were a bit shaky for the next 2 days. I reckon this climb is better done early in the morning. It would be less tiring that way. It was time to leave Junagadh the next day and I did so quite content with my experiences here.
