FROM THE ANNALS OF History

Sheathed in fascinating legends and rife with historical anecdotes, a visit to Junagadh in Gujarat is akin to turning the pages of time.

- SANDY & VYJAY

AROUND 70 KILOMETRES from the home of the Asiatic lion at Gir National Park in Gujarat lies the city of Junagadh. While it’s thrilling to drive through a forest teeming with lions, the intricate layers of history and legends that Junagadh is wrapped in are no less exciting to explore. In fact, the very existence of the Asiatic lion in what is dubbed as its last wild home is linked to a chapter of Junagadh’s history. Lions were once on the verge of extinction, owing to indiscriminate hunting and habitat loss, but thanks to the conservation efforts of the last ruling Nawab of Junagadh, Muhammad Mahabat Khan III, the species got a fresh lease of life.

The Nawab belonged to a dynasty that ruled over the princely state of Junagadh for around two centuries. After India gained Independence from the British in 1947 and partitioned into two countries, the Nawab saw it fit to accede to Pakistan even though nearly 99 per cent of the population was Hindu. In a dramatic turn of events, a plebiscite led to Junagadh becoming a part of India. The Nawab reportedly fled to Karachi with his entourage of 200 dogs.

FORT FABLES

Our first tryst with Junagadh’s fascinating history begins at the entrance of an old citadel. Standing defiantly against the onslaught of time, Uparkot Fort has walls that wear innumerable scars. After all, it has seen 16 sieges—one lasting 12 years!