Once upon a time...

HIT THE ROAD

The former princely state of Junagadh may not seem like the ideal getaway, but then what's travel without a taste of the unusual? At first sight, the town looks like any other in Gujarat, but look around and you'll see vestiges of a time when the Nawabs ruled.

Not to be missed is the stunning Mahabat Maqbara, a mausoleum of a former Nawab with intricate carving work and great views from atop the minarets. Uperkot Fort is equally superb, dating back to Chandragupta Maurya.

Of particular interest here are the rock-cut Buddhist caves. Nearby Girnar Hill is one of Jainism's holiest spots, with magnificent Jain temples atop a 10,000-step climb that is fully worth the effort. If you can't face it, there are porters who will haul you all the way up!

Junagadh is 330 km from Ahmedabad via Rajkot, and the drive is a smooth, relaxed one. Hotel Girnar (Ph: 0285"�2620201) and Hotel National (Ph: 0285"�2627891) are both decent places to stay, at Rs 400 onwards.

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