It is one of the holiest pilgrimages for Jains, where the 22nd Tirthaṅkar, Lord Neminath attained omniscience, and later nirvana along with other five hundred and thirty three enlightened sages.

[2][3] Mount Girnar is a major igneous plutonic complex which intruded into the basalts towards the close of the Deccan Trap period.

The rhyolite, though earlier considered a product of differentiation, is now believed to be an independent magma without any genetic link with the gabbro and its variants.

In the 7th century, the Chinese traveler Hsuan-tsang mentioned Girnar as a place of “supernatural rishis,” likely referring to Saivite Pashupata ascetics, as described by his contemporary Bāṇabhaṭṭa.

[6] Fourteen of Ashoka's Major Rock Edicts, dating to circa 250 BCE, are inscribed on a large boulder that is housed in a small building located outside the town of Junagadh on Saurashtra peninsula in the state of Gujarat, India.

[7] The edict also narrates the story of Sudarshan Lake which was built or renovated by Rudradaman I, and the heavy rain and storm due to which it had broken.

[10] Similarly, inside the Parliament Museum at New Delhi, an exhibit replicates the act of artists sculpting inscriptions of Girnar edict on a rock.

Jain texts record Girnar mountain as an ancient pilgrimage site from where crores (koda-kodi) of monks have attained liberation.

3rd century BCE text Kalpa Sūtra by Acharya Bhadrabāhusuri mentions Girnar hill to be the place of initiation, Kevala jnana, and Moksha of the 22nd Tirthankara, Neminatha.

[13][2][3][14][15][16] Sixth century BCE Jain text Uttaradhyayana Sutra which is believed to be the direct words of Mahavira, mentions that Neminatha ascended Mount Raivataka to become an ascetic in the 22nd chapter.

Additionally, other sacred sites include the cave of Rajul, the Rathanemi temple (dedicated to Neminath’s younger brother), and Sahasavan.

As per Jain scriptures, it is believed that Girnar has been in existence since eternity and that the 22nd Tirthankara Neminatha visited and performed his penance on this mountain in the present Avsarpini.

Ratnasār came to Girnar with a sangha and performed ritualistic bathing of the clay idol due to which it dissolved in the holy water.

[40][41] Shatrunjay Mahatmya, a text written by Acharya Dhaneshwarsuri, a monk of the Śvetāmbara sect of Jainism mentions that Sahasavan’s original name was Sahatramra-van (transl.

[51] An inscription dated Vikram Samvat 1249 (1192 CE) mentions Vaghela minister Vastupala's pilgrimage to Ambika temple on Raivataka (Girnar) hill.

Jinharshasuri mentions that Vastupala and his brother Tejapala visited as well as built the large mandapa of the temple and parikara of Ambika.

[52][53] A praśasti eulogy given at the end in a golden lettered copy of Kalpasutra dated Vikram Samvat 1524 (1468 CE) mentions that a Jain Shreshthi (merchant) named Samal Sah restored and renovated the Ambika temple on Girnar.

[52] As per archaeologist James Burgess's works on Gujarat's history, Ambika temple was not a Hindu shrine and that Jains had built it and Hindus had occupied it later.

[58] The Jain community has contested the ownership and worship rights of this temple in the Gujarat High Court, and the matter remains under judicial consideration.

[64] Next is an old shrine of Bhavnath, a form of Shiva, close to Girnar Taleti; Mrigi kund and Sudharshan lake are nearby.

The path turns to the right along the edge of a precipice, which is very narrow, so that the doli almost grazes the scarp, which rises perpendicularly 200 feet above the traveller.

[65] The main event for Hindus is the Maha Shivaratri fair held every year on the 14th day of the Hindu calendar month of Magha.

Below it and on the verge of the cliff is a smaller tank of water and near it a small canopy supported by three roughly hewn pillars and a piece of rock containing a short octagonal stone called Hathi pagla or Gajapada, the elephant foot, a stratum on the top of which is of light granite and the rest of dark the lower part is immersed in water most of the year.

[69] As per historical records, Sajjana, the minister of Chaulukya king Siddharaja Jayasimha, built the Neminatha temple using the state treasury.

[70] Sahastraphana (thousand hooded) Parshwanatha, the image which was consecrated in 1803 CE (VS 1459) by Vijayajinendra Suri, is currently the central deity in the temple.

It is known that Karmachandra Bachchhavat, minister of the king of Bikaner, had sent a funds to renovate temple in Shatrunjaya and Girnar under Jinachandrasuri IV of Kharatara Gaccha during the reign of Akbar.