QUE : Champaner-Pavagadh holds a special place in the cultural heritage of Gujarat – Discuss.

Champaner-Pavagadh is a city located at the foot of the Pavagadh mountain, full of architectural sculptures and having a magnificent historical heritage of magnificent buildings. Champaner has also been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, which is a matter of pride for Gujarat. Pavagadh and Champaner located at its foothills are very important places from a historical and cultural point of view.

• The original Shaktipeeth Dham Pavagadh holds a place of respect for devotees due to its holy land.
  
•  Champaner is believed to have been established during the time of Vanraj Chavda of the Chavda dynasty. It was also the capital of the Patai kings in the medieval period and then of Mahmud Begada in the Muslim period. Thus, Pavagadh is a historically important city.
  
•  The monuments and historical sites here give it a unique place from a cultural point of view. Here, the remains of fortified palaces, mosques, temples, etc. are found, which testify to the grandeur of ancient times.
  
•  The seven-arched building here is an excellent example of architecture. These seven arches are located at the highest point of the fortified row starting from Atka Darwaza and ending with Budhia Darwaza. This building is made of polished stones.
  
•  It is believed that the then rulers used to hold secret meetings in the seven arches formed in the form of a large pavilion and used it as a place for the royal family to enjoy themselves.
  
•  The valley extending north of the Pavagadh mountain is known as ‘Navalkhi Valley’. On its edge is a building called Navlakha Kothar, which gives a glimpse of the architecture of the Mughal period.
  
•  This T-shaped building is made up of seven sections with a large dome, which must have been used as a granary in ancient times.

• To the north of Navlakha Kothar are large tanks known as Ganga, Jamuna and Saraswati in ancient times.
  
•  On the banks of the Vishwamitri river valley, there is the magnificent palace of Patai Rawal, known as the “Khapra Jeweler’s Palace”, which had seven floors in ancient times. But today only a section of its ground floor can be seen as a remnant.
  
•  Champaner, located in the foothills, also has magnificent buildings of Muslim architecture. During the Muslim period, Mahmud Begada made Champaner his capital.
  
•  In the lower part of Pavagadh is the fort of the royal palace of Champaner. Near the entrance of this fort, protected by bastions, there is a beautiful gokh with exquisite carvings. Outside the fort, there is the magnificent building of Jani Masjid with beautiful entrances, ornate carvings and well-organized structure.
  
•  Outside the prayer hall of the mosque, there are two tall minarets, which are richly carved.
  
• Other mosques include the city mosque, Leela Gumbad Mosque, Nagina Mosque and Kewda Mosque etc. All these mosques have a mixture of Hindu-Muslim architectural styles.
  
•  The ancient gates seen in a large row on the Pavagadh hill have become an attraction. The unique fort of Pavagadh has Atk Darwaza, Budhia Darwaza and Lali Darwaza.
  
•  Pavagadh is a center of faith for Hinduism and Jainism as well. One of the 51 Shakti Peethas of Hinduism, the Mahakali Temple, is located on the Pavagadh mountain. Apart from this, Pavagadh is also considered a Siddha Kshetra for Jains.
  
•  There are historical temples made of marble of the Digambar Jain sect here. Apart from this, the Lakulish Temple located on the hill provides evidence of eleven hundred sculptures.
  

                        Champaner – Considering the historical, architectural and cultural contribution of Pavagadh, it has emerged as an important place in the historical and cultural heritage of Gujarat.