Palitana Jain Temples

The Palitana temples of Jainism are located on Shatrunjaya hill by the city of Palitana in Bhavnagar district, Gujarat, India. The city of the same name, known previously as Padliptapur, has been dubbed "City of Temples". Shatrunjaya means a "place of victory against inner enemies" or "which conquers inner enemies".
This site on Shatrunjaya hill is considered sacred by Svetambara Jains. It is said that 23 of 24 Jain Tirthankaras, except Neminatha, sanctified the hill by their visits. There are approximately 863 marble-carved temples on the hills spread mostly in nine clusters, some being vast temple complexes, while most small in size. The main temple is dedicated to Rishabhanatha, the first Tirthankara; it is the holiest shrine for the Svetambara Murtipujaka sect. The main temple is reached by stepping up 3500 steps. Along with Shikharji in the state of Jharkhand, the two sites are considered the holiest of all pilgrimage places by the Jain community. Jains believe that a visit to this group of temples is essential as a once in a lifetime chance to achieve nirvana or salvation.

Palitana is the topmost pilgrimage of Jainism. There are auspicious pilgrimages in every state of the country but every pilgrimage points towards Palitana. Countless saints, great souls and asceties have attained the supreme salvation here. In every particle of this pilgrimage there is the radiance of transcendence and omniscience. Each and every ‘Kankar’ (pebble) of this place is Shankar (Lord Shiva). Every particle of the soil of this pilgrimage is in itself a holiest temple. Besmearing the forehead with the soil of this place is the basic process of destroying the sins of cycles of reincarnation.
It is said that even the gods pine for anointing their heads with the soil of Palitana. Not only humans but also the gods become blessed on getting a chance to go on a pilgrimage to Palitana. In fact Palitana is that pilgrimage where the divinity of the gods can be seen in every direction. However worried one may be, Palitana is that sacred land where the devotee becomes free from every worry.

Rarely there may be a Jain who has not travelled to Palitana once in his life-time . It is believed that if anyone, has not travelled to the two pilgrimages – Palitana and Sammet Shikhar – his birth in a Jain family has become worthless. Being the topmost pilgrimage of Jainism, it is always overcrowded with pilgrims. The account of the divinity and magnificence of this pilgrimage has reached every nation of the world. Generally the tourists come to India for sight-seeing, but Palitana is that holy pilgrimage where the tourists arrive to offer their reverence.

Palitana is the biggest centre of the holy Jain ascetics. There is probably no other pilgrimage where Jain ascetics are found in such massive numbers. The ascetics are themselves mobile pilgrimages. With this viewpoint, the pilgrimage to Palitana is considered to be a pilgrimage from both the movable and the immovable viewpoints, greatly meritorious. Wherever you cast your glance in this pilgrimage, only temples and ‘dharmshalas’ (charitable boarding houses) are seen. Prominent among the special features of this pilgrimage is the existence of hundreds of temples and hundreds of ‘dharmshalas’. On the nearly 5 km. long main road of Palitana city, there is a long row of charitable boarding houses and resting places. On the road, everywhere holy ‘Jinalayas’ (temples of ‘Jinas’) are built, but the actual pilgrimage begins from the foot of the Palitana hill. The devotees become emotion-charged just as they set their feet at the foot-hill. Their hearts become grateful to the grace of God which has enabled them to get the best fortune of visiting this great pilgrimage.