Am in Junagadh. From my room at Manoranjan Government Guest House, Mt Girnar looked beautiful. Its not usual that I get up early but today when I did (before 7 am), the Sun was playing hide and seek. Beautiful sight to see the Sun gradually Rise from the Mountains, this misty morning. Very tranquil.
For all my friends outside Guj, Girnar is Gujarat’s highest peak…Several big and small hills and mountains. The tallest being about 945 meters (3600 feet).
I feel Girnar is an apt example of SECULARISM. It houses Swetambar and Digambar Jain shrines, Hindu temples: Maa Ambe..Plus a mosque too. The nearby Gir Forest is the sanctuary of the last lot of Asiatic Lions. GIRNAR has a lot of potential of tourism development besides being an eg of UNITY in DIVERSITY and sociological studies(GIR houses the Siddi tribe which is a direct descendant of an African Tribe)
In the Hindu religion, the legend is
that climbing Girnar bare feet is very holy. Girnar Parikrama hence is popular.
The Neminath Temple at first peak is one of the main attraction of Girnar. According to Jain religious beliefs, Neminath , the 22nd Tirthankar became an ascetic after he saw the slaughter of animals for food on his wedding. He renounced all worldly pleasures and came to Mount Girnar to attain salvation. Here, Bhagwan Neminath reached the highest state of enlightenment, Keval Gyan and Moksha, after great austerities. His bride-to-be also followed his path and founded the ‘Sandhvi Sangh’, the organization of women ascetics. The Mallinath, RIshabhdev, Parshvanath temples are also eye catching. For Hindus, the Maa Ambe temple and several of the small temples of different deities on various hills is striking. So is the mosque where hundreds of ppl come.
Several Hindus too believe in the Muslim Shrine.
Secularism in India is present everywhere. Secularism is an intricate part of our social fabric.
Well, now I need to rush to my official programs. First to meet local Congress workers and then to Veraval to attend the Kirtistambh Circle dedication to public program.
