Palitana Jain Temples, Gujarat

Palitana is an unimaginable city possessing around eight hundred and sixty-three temples. Situated on Mount Shatrunjaya in Gujarat, Palitana is one of the holiest and most important cities for the Jain community. The magnificent temples here are divinely carved out of marble, which adds a special effect to the overall mountain range here. The site of Palitana temples is considered to be the most auspicious among various other pilgrim destinations, including the Girnar, Mt Abu, and the covered hills of Jharkhand. Various beliefs are associated with these temples, out of which some are mentioned below:

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Myths or Beliefs about Palitana Temples

It is said that the idol of Lord Adinath often referred to as Moolnayak breathed seven times when it was established here.
Mysteriously, every night, a layer of silver gets collected on the idol of Lord Adinath, which is considered to be the Lord’s gift to the priest.
A temple of Lord Suparshvanath is present here. It is said that every night, the idol of Lord Suparshvanath, which is approximately 10 inches, flies to Lord Adinath’s adobe.
A tree exists in the Palitana temple complex, under which is considered to be hidden jewels, ornaments, and pearls of the pre-human period.

History of Palitana Temples

The Palitana temples were built in two phases, the first phase was during the 11th and 12th centuries AD and the second phase was during the 16th century AD. However, several scriptures depict that several temples here were built prior to the 11th century, but were demolished by the Muslim invaders during the 14th and 15th centuries. It is said that the town of Palitana was formed by a student of Jain Acharya Shree Padlipt Suri named Nagarjun and later in 818 AD, a Kingdom by the name Prabhat Varsha was formed here by king Govindaraja.

Recommended Tour: Palitana Jain Temples Tour

Tourist Attractions in Palitana Temples

Digambar Jain Temple: The temple is one of the most important temples in the Palitana temple complex as well as the Gujarat Tour Package and holds the idol of the principal deity, Bhagwan Shantinath. The white stone idol of Lord Shantinath in yogi posture is simply captivating and a major attraction in this temple. According to various scriptures, major identities from the epic Mahabharata, Arjuna, Bheem, and Yudhishthir are said to have attained nirvana at this very place. Beautiful idols of these three identities have been installed in this temple. The temple is also enshrined by other two magnificent idols of Lord Chintamani Parshvanath and Vighnahar Parshwanath and is located at the northern gate of this shrine.

Adinath Temple: The Adinath temple is considered to be the most important temple in the Palitana temple complex, as it is dedicated to the first Jain Tirthankara, Lord Rishabhdev. The huge temple with enormous carvings on it attracts a huge number of pilgrims as well as tourists to visit this temple every year. The magnificent structures of holy deities, demons, and animals on the walls of this temple are simply captivating. One gets a glimpse of the prosperity of architecture during the olden days by looking at this attractive temple. The Adinath temple today stands at the same point where Lord Rishabhdev attained enlightenment and is a spectacular shrine with worth seeing carvings on it.

Chaumukha Temple: The Chaumukh temple is one of the enormous and worth visiting destinations in the Palitana temple complex. The impressive architecture and glorious carvings made on this temple would definitely captivate your attention. The temple is dedicated to Lord Adinath and is built in 1618 AD. Chaumukh literary means four faces and the idol of Lord Adinath here symbolizes Chaumukh. The magnificent idol here has four faces, facing four cardinal directions. Situated in the northern region of Shatrunjaya Hill, this temple is a unique representation of beauty and magnificence. One must not miss the impressive curves and floral carvings on the pillars of this temple.

Angar Pir: Angar Pir is a small holy mosque of a Sufi saint named Angar Pir, who resided here during the 14th century. According to stories, it is said that during the 14th century, the army of Alauddin Khilji ransacked the Shatrunjaya temples and was destructing them. Angar Pir, who believed in the intrinsical holiness of Palitana, saved the temples here with the power of his prayers. It is said that Angar Pir hurled holy fire on Khilji’s army, thus stopping them from destructing these holy temples. Later, this Dargah was constructed to commemorate Angar Pir, who believed in the sanctity of other religions’ holy sites. This is a definitely worth visiting destination with a beautiful monument residing next to the Adeshwara temple.

Jambudweep Temple: This temple is one of the most magnificent temples in the Palitana temple complex and is well known for its excellent exposure to Jain study of the physical universe. The temple helps us in understanding the complex divisions of the earth and heaven. It also helps us in understanding how the soul passes through the different stages of the universe. The temple also exhibits several features of Jain mathematics and the uncommon methods and units of measuring time, weight, height, width, etc. The holy shrine is open for the devotees throughout the year and a show is organized every evening at around 6:00 PM that guides us on the Jain study of the physical universe.

Talaja Hill: Talaja hill is one of the major attractions near the Palitana temples and is famous for its Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain caves and temples. Situated around thirty-two kilometers from Palitana temples, the Talaja hills possess some thirteen Buddhist, thirteen Jain, and a Hindu temple. Some of these caves are considered to be 2000 years old and are beautifully decorated with the Bodhisattva carvings. One of the major attractions here is the Ebhal Mandapa, which is a huge hall with four octagonal pillars and has an impressive structure. A hillock is also flanked by a Hindu temple of Khodiyar Mata and other Jain temples.

Also Read: Mata Temples in Gujarat

Vishal Jain Museum: The Vishal Jain museum is situated at the foothills of Shatrunjaya and possesses some of the most beautiful age-old artifacts and idols. Many of the artifacts presented in this museum have been excavated from the Palitana temple area and are worth watching. Apart from the artifacts, the museum also possesses several scriptures and manuscripts documented on palm leaves. You also get to visualize the life of Mahavira and other Jain Tirthankaras through this museum. The museum is a must-visit destination in Palitana and is open all days from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM and 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM.

Festivals and Fairs in Palitana Temples

Several festivals and fairs are conducted in the Palitana temples every year. A huge number of pilgrims from all around the world visit these temples during the festivals to worship and get blessed by these holy deities. Some of the major festivals are conducted here on the following days:

Kartik Purnima
Falgun Shukla 13
Akshaya Tritiya
Chaitra Poornima
Vaishakh Krishna 6

How to Reach Palitana Temple?

Palitana is well connected to all the modes of transport and can be reached by air, rail, and road routes. The following given information will help you in reaching this place:

Air: The Bhavnagar Airport is the nearest airport and is around fifty-one kilometers from Palitana. However, the Ahmedabad Airport is the more convenient airport, as the frequency of air flights from this airport is greater than that of Bhavnagar.

Rail: Palitana has its own railway station, but is not recommended. Instead, one can go to Bhavnagar railway station or the Sehore railway station, which are well connected to other major rail stations in India.

Road: Palitana can also be reached by road routes and frequent buses and private cabs run between Bhavnagar and Palitana.

Hotels in and near Palitana

Vijay Vilas Palace: The Vijay Vilas Palace is a heritage hotel in Palitana and is one of the best accommodating places in Palitana. The hotel has one of the best infrastructures and gives the best royal look to this hotel. Some of the amenities provided by this hotel include a travel desk, doctor on call, laundry service, air/railway/bus reservation service, travel guide for sightseeing, swimming pool, tennis court, sword show, dance shows, horse riding, bullock cart rides, etc. Some of the important information about this hotel is given below:

Address: Vijay Vilas Palace, Village Adour, P.O Ghetti, Palitana

Hotel Shravak: Hotel Shravak is a good and affordable hotel in Palitana and offers the best customer service. Some of the facilities provided by this hotel include air-conditioned rooms, geysers for hot water, doctor-on-call, laundry, etc. Important details about this hotel are given below:

Address: Hotel Shravak, 51/8 ST Road, Palitana

Palitana temples in Gujarat are the best holy destination to experience. Magnificent age-old temple architecture blended with the mythological stories depicted by the locals gives this place an overall different look. The holy and divine environment here will definitely give you an unforgettable experience. The information mentioned above will guide you in sighting the this “Holy City of Jain”.