Ragini Puri
When it comes to experiencing the architectural splendour of Gujarat, very few places can match the magnificence of Junagadh, a historical city in the Saurashtra region of the state. Nestled in the foothills of the revered Girnar mountain, Junagadh is almost like a museum in itself, with buildings of yore standing testimony to the town’s chequered, but glorious royal past.
Etymologically, Junagadh comes from the words: juna, which means old, and garh meaning fort. Thus its other popular name is the Old Fort Palace. The city has a good number of forts and monuments built by the nawabs who ruled this land for centuries.
Grandeur in stone
The town’s biggest claim to architectural fame is the awe-inspiring Mahabat Maqbara palace complex. Once home to nawabs of the Babi dynasty, the palace complex is now the resting place of two of its prominent names — Mahabat Khan II, the sixth nawab of Junagadh (1851-1882), and Wazir Bahaduddinbhai Hasainbhai, one of the chief nobles in the court of Nawab Rasul Khan. The exquisitely designed mausoleums make them an integral part of the Junagadh lore.
Both mausoleums at Mahabat Maqbara palace complex are fine examples of the art and architecture, typical of the late 19th century royal monuments of Junagadh. Mahabat Maqbara, the mausoleum of Mahabat Khan, is a fusion of Indo-European-Islamic architecture, its most striking features being the floor-to-lintel French windows and the Gothic columns alongside silver inner doors. Built in 1982 by Bahadur Khan III for his father Mahabat Khan II, the imposing structure also boasts of an intricate cluster of bulbous domes supported by columns built in the Gothic style.
Designs of yore
Standing on the left of the Mahabat Maqbara is the elaborately designed Bahauddin Maqbara, built over the tomb of Wazir Bahaduddinbhai Hasainbhai. A sight to behold, the Bahauddin Maqbara resembles the Taj Mahal in structural design, with its bubbled domes and four minarets flanking it from four sides. The finely carved façade of the mausoleum blends beautifully with the elegant corkscrew staircase winding the minarets. A cautious climb up the narrow stairs gives an awe-inspiring view of the domes and other vintage buildings in the neighbourhood.
Declared protected monument by the Archaeological Survey of India, this palace-mausoleum complex is today in need of preservation. It stands neglected, though never failing to mesmerise visitors with its architectural oddity.
A story to tell
At the time of India’s independence, Junagadh was one of three princely states — the others being Hyderabad and Kashmir — that resisted accession to India. The then incumbent nawab of Junagadh, Mahabat Khan III, chose to join Pakistan despite Junagadh having no common boundary with the new country. He argued that Junagadh and Pakistan share the same seawaters, and so he should be allowed to merge his state with the neighbour. This decision was opposed by most of his subjects who wanted Junagadh to be part of the Indian state. Following a brief period of uncertainty over Junagadh’s status in the Indian dominion, the Indian Army held a referendum in February 1948, where the majority voted in favour of accession to India. Today, Junagadh attracts tourists for its spectacular architectural marvels, its turmoil-ridden history lost in the sands of time.