Festivals In Junagadh

Festivals Celebrated In Junagadh

There are many festivals celebrated all over Gujarat. Even in Junagadh there are few major festivals celebrated, they are as listed below…

 

Maha Shivaratri Festival In Junagadh

 

Maha Shivaratri is a religious festival held annually in honour of Lord Shiva. Pilgrims fast day and night before making many offerings including milk, incense, and special leaves. Devotees believe that Shiva himself visits the shrine on this occasion. Girnar is said to be the abode of the nine immortal nathas, and eighty-four siddhas, all of whom also visit the temple in their invisible spirit forms during Mahashivaratri. Offerings are made to the deities, and the festive energy courses through performances of dance, music and traditional Bhavai theatre. Before going to the fair, many pilgrims do a parikrama of the holy hills of Girnar, a journey of about 7 km. Visitors are served free meals by the organizers. Special stalls sell idols, rosaries brought from Ayodhya and Mathura, and delectable sweets. The fair during Mahashivaratri is held for five days commencing from the Hindu calendar date of Magh Vad 11, during the Gregorian months of February-March. The Bhavnath Fair is held at the Bhavnath Mahadev Temple near Damodar Kund, at Girnar Taleti, 8 km from Junagadh.  About one lakh people from different regions of India, particularly from Gujarat and Marwad, have been coming here for many years. While many come clad in lively colors, the Ahirs and Mers of the Junagadh district are the most striking among them. The evening leading up to the midnight ritual of Mahashivaratri, at the wrestling grounds, or akhada, next to the temple, the naga bavas gather for a ritual involving a blend of dance and martial arts. The Bhavnath Mahadev temple is a shrine ensconced in myths and legends of the Puranic era. The Shiva linga here is said to have emerged of its own divine intention. Reportedly, when Shiva and Parvati were traveling over the Girnar Hills their divine garment fell over the present Mrigi Kund, making this place an auspicious site for Shiva worshippers. Even today, the naga bavas are known to bathe in the holy Mrigi Kund before joining the Mahashivaratri procession. The fair itself is so ancient that its precise origins are unknown.

 

 

Lili Parikrama 

 

Lili Parikrama (Green Pradakshina or circumambulation) around Mount Girnar in Junagadh district starts from the temple of Bhavnath and also ends there, under the belief that all the 33 crore gods live in Girnar. The fair is organized by local people, sadhus, police and forest department officials. The pilgrimage on foot, formerly 12 miles which is now curtailed to 6 miles since 150 years ago, takes 4 days.  Of the seven peaks of Girnar, five are important viz., Ambamata, Gorakhnath, Augadh, Guru Dattatreya and Kalika. The Bhavnath Shiv temple, Bhartruchari cave, Sorath Mahal, Bhim Kund and Shiv Kund. Devotees visit these sacred places during the parikrama. After the rainfall, the ponds and rivers are full of water adding to the scenic beauty of the forest and hills. The fair is attended by around 1 lakh people from all parts of India during the Hindu month of Kartik Sud 11 to 15. The activities include raas and bhajan mandlis, dramas and duhas. Toy stalls, tea and eatable stalls, and stall selling idols etc are also organized to cater the public. The parikrama is celebrated by worshipping Lord Shiva’s shrine at Bhavnath and people start walking on the identified tracks day and night. The entire Girnar hill pathways are lighted up and there are plenty of sadhu maths where people stop for a while to pay respect to these naga bavas and they continue walking enjoying the bhajan and raas mandlis and the folk music during the nights. Devotees try to end this journey on the full moon night at the Bhavnath temple.