On very few pilgrimage hills does the Nath tradition appear in the mountain’s own name. At Girnar the highest summit is Guru Gorakhnath’s — a link worth knowing before you stay at Bhavnath Taleti.
In this guide
The man and the lineage
Guru Gorakhnath (or Gorakshanath) is revered as the founder of the Nath Sampradaya, a Shaiva yogic tradition whose teaching line goes back to his own guru, Matsyendranath. He is counted among the Navnath, the nine legendary Nath masters, and is closely connected with the early development of Hatha Yoga — the practice of physical and breath-based discipline from which much later yoga grew.
Little about his life is certain. Accounts place him anywhere between the 8th and 12th centuries, and legends carry him across the subcontinent, from Punjab and Sindh to Nepal, Bengal and the Deccan. His legacy is clearer: monasteries, shrines and towns bear his name, the best known being Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh.
His peak at Girnar
Here his link is written into the landscape. Girnar’s highest peak — about 1,117 metres, the tallest in Gujarat — is known as the Gorakhnath shikhar. A shrine near the summit is said to hold the sacred footprints of Gorakhnathji, and pilgrims who finish the hard climb past the Jain temples and the Amba Mata shrine often see reaching this peak as the high point of the whole yatra.
The association is wider than a single summit. Girnar is traditionally counted among the places linked with the Navnath and the 84 Siddhas, and names well known in Nath lore, such as Bhartrihari and Gopichand, are also connected with the mountain.
The foot of the climb
Bhavnath Taleti, home of Triloknath Ashram, lies at the very foot of Girnar and is itself a major pilgrimage stop. The ancient Bhavnath Mahadev temple is tied to Shiva in Puranic legend, and the place comes alive during the yearly Bhavnath Mela around Maha Shivratri, when Naga sadhus gather for a ceremonial procession and a ritual bath in nearby Mrigi Kund.
Staying here puts you where two things meet: the base from which the climb to the Gorakhnath peak and Girnar’s other summits begins, and a place with its own spiritual weight rooted in Shiva worship and Nath asceticism.
Shernath Bapu’s ashram
Triloknath Ashram, associated with Shernath Bapu, keeps this Nath lineage alive at Bhavnath Taleti. Rather than being a stop for sightseeing, the ashram is shaped by the values the Nath tradition is known for — simplicity, discipline and quiet attention to practice — and gives devotees and pilgrims a place to stay that matches the spirit of what brought them to Girnar.
To read more about the ashram, visit About Shernath Bapu & Triloknath Ashram, or look at current room categories and tariff if you are planning a stay.
Planning around the Nath heritage
Visitors drawn to the Nath and Shaiva side of Girnar often plan around a few highlights:
- The climb to the Gorakhnath peak, Girnar’s highest point
- Bhavnath Mahadev Temple and Mrigi Kund at the foothills
- The Bhavnath Mela at Maha Shivratri, if your dates allow
- The Girnar Lili Parikrama, the yearly walk around the hill
- A stay at Triloknath Ashram, close to the temples of Bhavnath Taleti
The climb to the upper peaks is long — the full stairway runs to several thousand steps — so most pilgrims start in the early hours, and many prefer to sleep at Bhavnath Taleti the night before instead of travelling in from Junagadh on the same day.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Guru Gorakhnath?
Honoured as the founder of the Nath Sampradaya, a Shaiva yogic tradition; one of the Navnath, tied to the growth of Hatha Yoga, and a disciple of Matsyendranath.
How is Gorakhnath tied to Girnar?
Its highest peak is the Gorakhnath shikhar, linked to his sadhana with a shrine near the top; the mountain is also associated with the Navnath and the 84 Siddhas.
How does the ashram fit into the tradition?
Triloknath Ashram at Bhavnath Taleti is associated with Shernath Bapu, who carries Guru Gorakhnath’s Nath tradition on at the foot of Girnar.
Which festival shows the Nath heritage best?
The Bhavnath Mela around Maha Shivratri at the foothills, the area’s main yearly gathering linked with Shaiva and Nath asceticism.