Guj: જુનાગઢ junāgaḍh
‘Old Fort’ -City/District, Gujarat
From Guj/Skt: juna/jurna, ’old’; and Guj: gadh, ‘(hill) fort’.
Uparkot Fort in the centre of the town is indeed a very old fort. It was first built in 319 BCE during the Mauryan dynasty and some even suggest a Yavana/Yona or ‘Greek’ origin for Junagadh. The fort fell into disuse after the 6thC. From the 10thC until the 20th fort was besieged more than sixteen times. It was captured by Muslims in 1472 and renamed Mustafabad.
Junagadh has close association with animal lovers.
Close to Uparkot Fort at Girnar are 14 edicts of Asoka, including the first:
“Here no living being must be killed and sacrificed.”
And at Independence when the Nawab of Junagadh, having been thwarted by popular protest from acceding to Pakistan, finally left Junagadh he took his 800 pampered pedigree dogs with him, but left behind his entire harem.
Junagadh, clearly, is a place for animal lovers.
Gateway to City of Junagadh Bernard Gagnon
