Junagadh district is an administrative district in the Saurashtra region of the state of Gujarat, India. Its headquarters is the historic city of Junagadh, located at the foot of the Girnar hill range. The district is known for its association with Mauryan, Kshatrapa, Gupta and later medieval rulers, the Gir National Park (the last natural habitat of the Asiatic lion lies partly within its historical boundaries), and a distinctive accession history at the time of Indian independence.
| Country | India |
|---|---|
| State | Gujarat |
| Region | Saurashtra |
| Headquarters | Junagadh |
| Division | Junagadh administrative division |
| Major language | Gujarati |
| Notable landmarks | Girnar hills, Uparkot Fort, Ashokan rock edicts, Mahabat Maqbara |
Junagadh district lies in the south-central part of the Saurashtra peninsula. It is bordered by Porbandar, Rajkot and Amreli districts, and by Gir Somnath district to the south, which was carved out of Junagadh in 2013. The terrain is characterised by the Girnar massif, an extinct volcanic complex rising sharply from the surrounding plains, along with deciduous forest tracts that form part of the wider Gir landscape. The district is drained by rivers including the Ozat and the Hiran. The climate is semi-arid with a monsoonal pattern.
The Junagadh region has a continuous recorded history stretching back more than two millennia. The Ashokan rock edicts inscribed on a boulder near Girnar represent one of the most important sources for the reign of the Mauryan emperor Ashoka. The same rock carries later inscriptions of the Western Kshatrapa ruler Rudradaman I, recording the repair of the Sudarshana lake, and of the Gupta emperor Skandagupta.
During the medieval and early modern period the area was ruled by the Chudasama dynasty from Junagadh, and later came under the Sultanate of Gujarat and the Mughal Empire. From the early 18th century the princely state of Junagadh was governed by the Babi dynasty of Nawabs.
At the time of Indian independence in August 1947, the Nawab of Junagadh acceded to Pakistan, despite the state being geographically contiguous with India and having a Hindu-majority population. Following civil agitation, the formation of the Arzi Hukumat (provisional government) and the Nawab's departure, an administrative arrangement led by V. P. Menon and a subsequent referendum in February 1948 resulted in Junagadh's accession to India.
The state was integrated into Saurashtra State, which became part of Bombay State in 1956 and then of the new state of Gujarat on its formation on 1 May 1960. In 2013, the district was bifurcated and the new Gir Somnath district was created from its southern talukas.
The district is administered by a District Collector and forms part of the Junagadh administrative division of Gujarat. It is divided into several talukas, with Junagadh city serving as both the district headquarters and the seat of the Junagadh Municipal Corporation. The district sends representatives to the Gujarat Legislative Assembly and is part of the Junagadh Lok Sabha constituency.
Agriculture is a mainstay of the district economy, with groundnut, cotton, wheat, bajra and mango (notably the Kesar variety grown around Girnar) being important crops. Fishing and allied activities are significant in coastal areas historically associated with the district. Industry includes agro-processing, cement, and small and medium manufacturing. Tourism contributes to the local economy through visitors to Girnar, Uparkot, the Mahabat Maqbara complex and pilgrimage routes.
Junagadh is a major centre of pilgrimage. The Girnar hill is sacred to both Hindus and Jains, with Jain temples on its peaks dedicated to Tirthankaras including Neminatha, and Hindu shrines associated with Dattatreya and the goddess Ambika. The annual Girnar Parikrama (Lili Parikrama) attracts large numbers of pilgrims. The district also features Sufi shrines and Indo-Islamic architecture from the Babi period, including the ornate Mahabat Maqbara.
Junagadh Agricultural University, established in 2004, is a leading state agricultural university serving the Saurashtra region. The district also has Bhakta Kavi Narsinh Mehta University, named after the 15th-century Gujarati poet-saint Narsinh Mehta, who is traditionally associated with Junagadh.