A holy city of temples in the sky
About 3,800 steps up the sacred mountain of Girnar — now far easier to reach via the ropeway and a shorter climb — lies one of Jainism’s holiest and most beautiful pilgrimage sites: a dense cluster of carved temples clinging to the mountainside. The grandest is the temple of Neminath (Lord Aristanemi), the 22nd Tirthankara, who according to Jain tradition renounced the world and attained enlightenment and liberation on Girnar.
Plan the ascent honestly: start before first light, carry water, and treat the ropeway as sense rather than surrender — the Jain group still needs its own stretch of stair, and the Ambaji and Dattatreya summits beyond add several hundred metres more. The temples close well before dusk, and October to February is the climbing season.
Around it rise the temples of Mallinath, the celebrated Vastupala-Tejpala temples and many more — sixteen and more shrines of intricately carved marble and stone, some dating from the 12th century. Set against soaring peaks and plunging valleys, austere yet exquisite, the Girnar Jain temples reward the long ascent with a rare union of art, devotion and dizzying mountain views.
The Neminath temple anchors the cluster — a great courtyard shrine where the twenty-second Tirthankara is worshipped in black marble, on the mountain where tradition holds he renounced, practised and attained liberation. Around it the terraces carry the Mallinath triple shrine of the minister-brothers Vastupala and Tejpala, thirteenth-century patrons whose building programme across Gujarat has few equals, along with a dozen smaller derasars.
The climb to the temples is roughly 3,800 steps — half the full Girnar ascent — and most pilgrims reach them in two to three hours from the base, or take the ropeway to Amba Mata and walk down to the Jain level. Dawn starts remain the rule; the stone is cool, the light is kind, and the temples open with the morning.
The Jain temple cluster on Girnar.
Neminath's liberation, and the marble that followed
Carved shrines of a great tirth.
Neminath, the 22nd Tirthankara, attains liberation on Girnar.
Wealthy patrons build the great marble temples.
The famed minister-brothers endow shrines here.
A supreme living Jain pilgrimage (tirth).
Reasons to make the time
Neminath tirth
Girnar is one of Jainism's holiest mountains — Neminath attained liberation here.
Carved marble
The shrines are twelfth-century work at its most exquisite.
16+ temples
A whole temple city spreads across the ridge's saddle.
Sky setting
The setting is soaring rock, with the plain far below.
Vastupala art
The minister-brothers Vastupala and Tejpala built the famed triple shrine.
Mountain views
The vistas over Saurashtra reward every step of the climb.
What to look for inside
THE CLUSTERTemple city
Shrines across the ridge.
NEMINATHMain shrine
The great Tirthankara temple.
VASTUPALAMinister temples
The famed Vastupala-Tejpala shrines.
MARBLECarved domes
Finely sculpted ceilings and pillars.
RIDGETemple terraces
Shrines terraced across the saddle.
VIEWSMountain vistas
Soaring peaks and plunging valleys.
How to spend an hour or two
Ascend Girnar
Climb the stone steps or ride the ropeway to the temple level.
Reach the cluster
Arrive at the Jain terraces, some 3,800 steps up the mountain.
See Neminath
Worship at the great Neminath shrine, the cluster's heart.
Tour the temples
Explore the Mallinath and Vastupala-Tejpala shrines beside it.
Study the carving
Study the carved marble ceilings and pillars.
Soak the views
Take the mountain vistas over peaks and plain.
Carved temples terraced in stone.
Marble shrines on a ridge
The Girnar Jain temples form a fortified-looking complex of shrines terraced across a high saddle of the mountain. Built largely of marble and local stone from the 12th century onward, they range from the towering Neminath temple to the elegant Vastupala-Tejpala temples, each with carved pillars, domed mandapas and finely sculpted ceilings.
Clustered tightly against the rock, walled and interlinked by lanes and courtyards, they create the impression of a small sacred city perched in the sky — austere on the outside, intricately wrought within.
See what else is nearby in our guide to Junagadh.
It is one of many — our guide to temples across Gujarat covers the rest.
The climb is one of several in the state — see adventure and trekking in Gujarat.
Marble Tirthankara shrines
12th-century Neminath temple
Vastupala-Tejpala temples
Carved domes & ceilings
When to go
Cool and clear — ideal for the long Girnar climb.
Lush, misty peaks; steps can be slippery.
Hot — climb before dawn with plenty of water.
⏰ Start before dawn (or take the first ropeway); carry water, and allow a full day to reach the temples and back.
Timings & entry
- Reached by ~3,800 steps or ropeway + climb
- Start very early, especially in summer
- Remove footwear; observe Jain customs
- Allow a full day for the round trip
- Temple darshan is free
- Leather items are not allowed inside
- Carry water and snacks for the climb
- The ropeway (to Amba Mata) is ticketed
Getting there
By Air
Keshod Airport (~45 km) is nearest.
By Rail
Junagadh, then road to the Girnar base.
By Ropeway
Ride to Amba Mata, then climb to the temples.
At the temples
MARBLE & MOUNTAIN
Carved shrines against soaring peaks
What to shoot
The temple cluster on the ridge.
Detail
Carved pillars and ceilings.
Setting
Shrines against the peaks.
Respect rules
Interior photography may be limited.
Know before you go
More to see close by
PILGRIMAGEGirnar
~9,999 steps to cliff-top Jain & Hindu temples
ANCIENTAdi Kadi Vav
A rock-cut stepwell carved into living stone
NATURENavghan Kuvo
Birdlife and still water below the massif
LEGACYNarsinh Mehta no Choro
Where Gujarat’s poet-saint sang his bhajans
SUFIDatar Hill
A hilltop Sufi shrine with sweeping valley views
Asiatic Lion
◐ Gir / Sakkarbaug
Where to eat near Girnar Jain Temples
THALIKathiawadi Thali
Rotla, kadhi, shaak and ghee-rich fare.
SNACKSGanthiya & farsan
Saurashtra's beloved fried snacks.
STREET FOODChaat & kachori
Bustling old-city bazaar bites.
Kesar mangoes
Junagadh's Girnar-grown Kesar mango is famed (summer).
Girnar Jain Temples FAQ
What are the Girnar Jain temples?
A cluster of carved marble Jain temples high on Girnar, a supreme Jain pilgrimage (tirth).
Who is the main deity?
Neminath, the 22nd Tirthankara, said to have attained liberation on Girnar.
How do I reach them?
By ~3,800 steps, or the ropeway to Amba Mata followed by a climb.
How old are they?
Many date from the 12th century onward.
Is there an entry fee?
No, darshan is free; the ropeway is ticketed.
How long does it take?
A full day, including the ascent and descent.
What should I carry?
Water, snacks, good shoes; no leather items inside.
When should I go?
Winter, starting before dawn.
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Published 24 June 2026 · Updated 24 August 2026