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Pilgrimage site
Palitana in India
PALITANA
FACTS & FIGURES
Location:
Bhavnagar
District, Gujarat,
India
Best time
to Visit:
October to March
Significance:
Shatrunjaya, Chaumukh
temple, Anga pir.
Palitana
is a city, a municipality
and former princely
state in Bhavnagar
district in the
Indian state of
Gujarat. It is located
50 km South-West
of Bhavnagar city
and is a major pilgrimage
centre for Jains.
The Palitana temples,
are considered the
most sacred
pilgrimage place
(tirtha) by the
Jain community.
There are a total
of 1250
temples
located on the Shetrunjaya
hills, exquisitely
carved in marble.
The main temple
on top of the hill,
is dedicated to
1st tirthankar lord
Adinath (Rishabdeva).
No one is allowed
to sleep overnight
including the priest,
because the temple
city has been built
as an abode for
the Gods.
The
Past
Palitana houses
perhaps the largest
cluster of Jain
temples anywhere.
From the base to
the peak of the
Shatrunjaya Hill,
where the Palitana
temples are located,
there are in all
863 temples. These
temples were built
in two phases-the
11th and 12th centuries
as a part of the
resurgence of temple
building all over
India, and in the
16th century. Some
of the earliest
temples built in
the 11th century
were destroyed by
Muslim invaders
in the 14th and
15th centuries.
The current temples
date back to 16th
century onwards.
Not any one person
or group was responsible
for the construction
of these magnificent
temples. It was
the effort of the
wealthy businessmen
who were followers
of Jainism that
these buildings
came into existence.
Pilgrim/Tourist
Attractions in Palitana
Shatrunjaya
Shatrunjaya (the
place of victory)
Hill is considered
to be one of the
holiest pilgrimage
sites for the Jains.
The temples are
dedicated to the
Jain Tirthankars
and even the priests
leave the temples
at dusk.
Chaumukh
temple4
Among the most important
temples here, is
the Chaumukh
temple
with its four-faced
deity of Adinath
enshrined on a marble
pedestal in a shrine
open on all four
sides (an aberration
in itself). Built
in the early 17th
century, it is planned
as a large square
subdivided into
smaller squares,
each structure topped
by a dome. The innermost
five dome topped
squares form a cross
and represent the
five hills sacred
to the Jains.
Adishwar
temple
The
Adishwar temple
is probably the
most profusely decorated
in Palitana. Its
ornate pillars and
roofs are decorated
with intricately
cut marble in the
shape of dragons.
Angar
Pir
Near
the Adishwar temple
is the Muslim shrine
of Angar Pir. Childless
couples make offerings
of miniature cradles
at this shrine in
the hope of being
blessed with children.
Other
temples worth mention
are the Sampriti
Raja, Kumarpal,
and Rampal.
How to Reach
Palitana
•
Air: Bhavnagar,
the nearest airport
lies at a distance
of 51 kilometer
from Palitana.
•
Rail:
Palitana
is a small railway
station and has
connection only
with Bhavnagar.
•
Road:
There are hourly
buses for Bhavnagar
from Palitana.
