West India · Gujarat
Pavagadh, Gujarat
Sources: wikimedia
Before you go
A Shakti Peetha above the UNESCO-listed ruins of Champaner; ~50 km from Vadodara.
About Pavagadh
- Hills
Where it is
Pavagadh is a hill of about 800 m in Panchmahal district of Gujarat, rising abruptly from the plains about 50 km east of Vadodara, with the ruined city of Champaner at its foot.
History
The Kalika Mata temple on the summit dates from around the 10th–11th centuries, and the hill was a stronghold of the Khichi Chauhans until Sultan Mahmud Begada of Gujarat captured it in 1484 and made Champaner his capital. The city declined after the Mughal emperor Humayun took it in 1535, and its mosques, palaces and walls now form the Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park.
People
The villages around Pavagadh speak Gujarati, and Panchmahal is home to adivasi communities such as the Bhils alongside farming families. Navratri brings pilgrims and garba to the hill, and the goddess of Pavagadh is celebrated in Gujarati garba songs.
Known for
- The Mahakali (Kalika Mata) Temple on the summit
- Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park
- The Jami Masjid of Champaner
- The Pavagadh ropeway
- Navratri
Did you know?
The Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park, inscribed in 2004, was the first UNESCO World Heritage Site in Gujarat.
Shrines and sites
- Mahakali Temple atop Pavagadh hill
- Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park
- Pavagadh ropeway
Traditions
- Hindu
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