Palitana Temples - Pilgrimage

The Palitana Temples of Jainism on Mount Satrunjaya, Palitana, Gujarat are considered the holiest of all pilgrimage places by the Svetambara Jain community. There are 863 temples exquisitely carved in marble located on the hills. This temple-city has been built as an abode for the divine; hence, no one is allowed to stay overnight, including the priests. The main temple, on top of the hill, is dedicated to the first Tirthankara, Rishabha.

Palitana temple is the most famous pilgrimage place for Jain.

There are more than 1200 temples located on the shetrunjaya hills. The main temple at the top of the hill is dedicated to the first tirthankar Lord Adinath. There are hundreds of other temples on the shetrunjaya hills. All temples are carved in marble.

It is believed that every Jain should visit Palitana at least once in his lifetime to get "Bhavya" status. From the base to the peak of the Shatrunjaya Hill, where the Palitana temples are located, there are, in all, 863 temples. Sunrise behind the temples is a great sight. One can enjoy views from the summit of the hills and the river Shetrunjaya.

The mount Shatrunjaya lies hardly a kilometer away from the town, the way, which is now thronged on both the sides by sarais and minor temples, including Kala Bhandars (museums). The mountain is associated with Rishabhdev, the first tirthankar, also known as Adinath. It is believed that all the tirthankars, except Neminath, attained nirvan here.

Among the most important temple here is the Chaumukh temple.

The Adiswara temple is probably the most profusely decorated in Palitana, its ornate pillars and roofs decorated with intricately cut marble in the shape of dragons. Other temples worth architectural mention are the Sampriti Raja and Kumarpal.

How to Reach to Palitana :

By Air :
Bhavnagar, the nearest airport lies at a distance of 51 kilometer from Palitana, but the most convenient airport is Ahmedabad 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.

By Road :
There are hourly buses for Bhavnagar from 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. The bus stand is situated 800 meters away from the Palitana railway station.

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