Palitana is situated at a distance of 51 km from Bhavnagar and serves as an important Jain pilgrimage of Gujarat. The Shatrunjay Hill loacted nearby the place hosts approximately 900 big and small Jain Temples. These temples are dedicated to the 24 Jain Tirthankarars. Apart from this, the significance of the place dates back to the Mahabharata era of India. It is said that three Pandavas, Yudhishthir, Bheem & Arjun got Nirvana here. Therefore, it is known as Siddhakshetra, where one attains Moksha, amongst Jain devotees.
About Palitana Jain Temple in Gujarat :
Palitana is the largest group of Jain temples, situated on the Shetrunjaya hills in the Saurashtra region of Gujarat, which is known as a tourist spot for its abundance in temples, beaches and wildlife. Palitana is situated at a distance of 51 km from Bhavnagar and is one of the most important pilgrimage centres for the Jains. It is considered to be mandatory for the Jains to travel to this place once in their lifetime. The 863 temples located on the path to the top of the hill, present a sacred route to achieve virtue and Lord’s blessings.
History of Palitana Jain Temple in Gujarat :
The beautiful cluster of temples on the pathway to the top of the hill, is a collective effort of the rich businessmen who had faith in the religion, following the belief that building temples, adds to their religious merits. The temples were built in 12th Century and the 16th Century. The wealthy devotees built the series of temples, according to the resources they had.
It was a tiring job to first clear and flatten the hill surface take the huge pillars from the ground surface to the hill and carve them on site. The temples were then walled and structured. It is a strenuous task to work on the hill and come back daily before dusk. The temples that we see today are mostly of the 16th century as the 12th century temples were destroyed by the Muslim invaders.
Architecture of Palitana Jain Temple in Gujarat :
The Palitana group of Jain temples seems to rise like the mountain peaks, as they are built in such a manner that the there is a successive level of temples, growing in size as we go further towards the peak. The temples stand on pillars which are carved with floral motifs, images of idols and geometrical decorations. The marble blocks were carried from Rajasthan to Gujarat and then lifted uphill, slab by slab.
The most important temple on the Shatrunjaya Hill is the temple of Jain Tirthankar, Adinath, which is the most decorative one with a perfectly symmetric shape of a square subdivided further into smaller squares, that form a cross. The pillars and domes made up of finely cut marbles in the shape of dragons, is really impressive for the traveler.
Belief :
Every devout Jain aspires to climb to the top of the mountain at least once in his lifetime, because of its sanctity. The journey is arduous. The walk up the stone stairway hewn into the mountain face takes about an hour and a half. For those unable or unaccustomed to the strain, sling-chairs are available at a bargain. The code for the climbers is stringent, in keeping with the rigours of the Jain faith. Food must neither be eaten nor carried on the way. The descent must begin before it is evening, for no soul can remain atop the sacred mountain during the night. Such is the mystique of Palitana, the summit of Shatrunjaya. While atop one can also visit a Muslim shrine of Angar Pir. The childless women seek the Pir’s blessings to be blessed with children. They offer miniature cradles to the Pir and the shrine is strewn with such cradles. Also these hills offer you a lifetime experience of capturing the beauty of these marble temples in the form of Palitana pictures or Palitana images in your camera. For more info Palitana map will help you.
Major Attractions of Palitana Jain Temple in Gujarat :
The stunning carvings and sculptures on the marble spires holding the temples. The view of sunset down the hill as a backdrop to the series of temples rising from the altitude.
The Chaumukh Temple, dedicated to the first Jain Tirthankar, Lord Adinath, in which the Lord is shown facing to the four sides. The temple is a 17th century creation. The challenging journey to the top of the hill, going through all the ancient temples enroute, is the prime attraction of the place. The journey includes a steep fleet of 3950 steps covering a distance of 3.5 km of the hill. One is not supposed to eat or sleep during the journey uphill, since the hill is considered to be God’s abode
The Main temples of Palitana :
The main temple of this pilgrimage is that of Lord Adishwar, the first Jain tirthankar. The idol of Lord Adishwar is covered with gold ornaments which are studded with precious stones. Other temples are Adinath, Vimalnath, kumarpal and Sampriti Raja. This pilgrimage centre is also known as Siddhakshetra because it is believed that the three Pandavas Bheema, Arjun and Yudhishthir attained salvation here.
Digamber Jain Temple: Another temple which is very important to visit is the Digamber Jain temple. The temple consists of 9 other shrines which have idols of different tirthankers installed in them. The main deity of the Digamber temple is the idol of Lord Shantinath. The idol is made from white stone having a height of 42 inches in a Padmasan posture. The idols of the three Pandavas who attained nirvana here are also installed in this temple. In addition there are two idols of Lord Parshwanath each of 24 inches height sitting in the padmasan posture. One of them is called Vighnaharan Parshwanath and the other one is called Chintamani Parshwanath. Apart from these two there are many otherbeautiful and finely carved temples which are worth seeing.
Shatrunjay Hill: This hill is not only a very holy pilgrimage destination which has many Jain temples but is also surrounded by beautiful nature. The mountain is around 3 and a half km climb. You can see the biggest irrigation project in Saurashtra from this peak. The water which flows from the Shatrunjay River is very pure and the sight is very soothing to the eyes. Many devotees visit Palitana on the full moon day to worship at the temples. Another attractive temple of Palitana is the Sameswaran temple which is circular in shape and is situated at the right side of the start of the stairs from where the pilgrims start ascending the hill.
How to Reach Palitana :
By Air : Bhavnagar to Palitana – the nearest airport lies at a distance of 51 kilometer. But the most convenient airport is Ahmedabad to Palitana as it is connected through regular flights to many important cities of the country like Mumbai and Delhi.
By Rail : Palitana is a small railway station and has connection only with Bhavnagar. Most of the trains stop at Sihor, which is connected to Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar. And also connects Palitana to Mumbai and other Indian cities.
By Road :There are hourly buses for Bhavnagar to Palitana. Regular buses are also available for Ahmedabad, Talaja, Una, and Diu. The total journey time to Una or Diu is around 6 hours as the roads are not in a good condition. Taxis are also available on hire for Palitana from Bhavnagar.
Location: Palitana, near Bhavnagar (Gujarat)
Number of Temples: 863
Founded In: 11th to 12th century (initially) and 16th century (the present ones)
Dedicated To: Jain Tirthankaras