Junagadh

 BY: ABDUR RAZZAQ THAPLAWALA

After visiting the Boarding House, I left Rajkot for Junagadh. It took me 2 hours to reach Junagadh because it was a very good Highway. During our journey from Rajkot to Junagadh, we also passed through the city of Jetpur. It looked like a well-populated and prosperous city. Unfortunately, I could not go and see any place of interest in Jetpur as I did not know anything about it. I reached Junagadh at about 2:00 P.M. After taking a room in a hotel and finishing our lunch, I decided to spend the afternoon for sight seeing of Junagadh. First of all, I went to see Nawab Mahabbat Khanjee College. The College has separate buildings for Arts and Science. It is still known as Sir Mahabbat Khanjee College.

5 Rajkot & Junagadh road showing Gondal & Jetpur mile stone.jpg	8 Junagadh industrial area.jpg	9 Sardar Valabh bhai gate Junagadh.jpg

After visiting the College, I visited the Makbara of Sir Mahabbat Khanjee. It is a huge and beautiful and artistic historical structure. Besides the Makbara, there is a big & beautiful Mosque. I do not know how many Muslims offer prayer in this Mosque. After visiting the Makbara of Sir Mahabbat Khangee, I took round of Junagadh & saw many new gates built on the roads.

I took round of Junagadh & saw many new gates built on the roads. The old Majveri gate was there. This gate has historical importance because this was the place where the Junagadh authorities surrendered themselves before the Indian forces on 9^th November, 1947. A new gate has been constructed and named after Dr. Sardar Valabh Bhai Patel then Home Minister of India who played key role in takeover of Junagadh. An old gate has also been name after Sardar Valabh Bhai Patel. An Auditorium has been constructed and named after Samar Dhas Gandhi, Journalist who headed the Aarzi Hukumat with its Head Quarters in Rajkot as soon as the announcement of accession to Pakistan was made by Junagadh.

10 Majevdi gate Junagadh.jpg	11 Sardar Patel gate Junagadh.jpg	12 Bahauddin college Junagadh.jpg

Then I proceeded to see the Girnar Mountain and Data Darbar. The main Mazar of Data Darbar is situated on a mountain and it was difficult for me to climb such a height. At the bottom of the steps of Data Darbar, therer is a Chilla of Data Darbat. This Chilla or Dargah is a beautiful place. I photographed it. I also photographed the stairs leading to the Data Darbar on the mountain. I remember that in my childhood, I had climbed the stairs and seen the Mazaar of Data Darbat up on the hill. This was not possible this time because of my age factor. While returning from Data Darbar, we saw a small Dargah or what we call Chilla of Peer Geban Shah.

13 Bahauddin science college Junagadh.jpg	14 Samardas Gabdai hall Junagadh.jpg	15 Data Darbar below mountain Junagadh.jpg

After returning from Data Darbar, I was told to visit the Memon Colony built by World Memon Foundation in Baker Falia. This colony had 4 Apartment Buildings and was built by World Memon Foundation in Association with Dhoraji Association. The condition of the colony was pathetic. The water & sewerage lines were not functioning and the entire compound of the colony was dug up for improving water & sewerage lines. The residents of colony were very poor and complaining that no steps had  been taken by the builders of the colony to do the necessary repairing work. Some of the ladies of the colony told me to see their rooms and observe the sub-human filthy conditions in which they were  living. Two persons supervising the sewerage work told me that no resident of colony was prepared to share the expenses except those living on ground floor who were most affected. I hope that the World Memon Foundation and Dhoraji Association will take steps to come to the rescue of poor residents of this colony which was in  Baker Falia.

16 Mazar of Pir Pathea Junagadh.jpg	18 Makbara of Nawab at Mahabat Khanji Junagadh.jpg	19 Bukar Falia masjid near memon colony Junagadh.jpg

Junagadh has a population of 700,000 people out of which 100,000 people are Muslims. The population of Memon community in Junagadh is about 11,000.

 

20 Digging for sewreage at Memon colony Junagadh.jpg	21 A Junagadh road showing new flats.jpg

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