SHETRUNJAYA HILL
The peak is a 3 ½ km climb of over 3500 steps from the town. The cluster of over 800 temples are divided into tuks.The largest and highest tuk is the Khartavasi tuk, with the 16th century Adinatha temple with images of the tirthankars, the 19th century Vallabhi temple with it’s finely clustered spires and the massive 1836 AD Motisah temple. Other important temples are the 16th century Adiswara temple in the Vimlavasi tuk, the Ramaji Gadhariya temple and the 18th century Bhulavani. Other important temples can be seen in the Sakara Premchand Tuk, Ujambi Hemabhai tuk, Sheth Hemabhai Vakatachand tuk and other enclosures.
Throughout the cluster you can see detailed carvings, beautiful idols and images, jeweled statues and intricate toranas. Sunrise behind the temples is a great sight. You can enjoy views from the summit of the hills and the river Shetrunjaya. On a clear day, the Gulf of Cambay sea coast can be seen. The summit can be visited from 7-19 hrs.
The temple covered Shetrunjaya hill, 2000 ft over Palitana town, believed to span 863 shrines in all has some really exquisite marble temples of great religious and artistic importance, containing arches, carved pillars and bejeweled idols. The temples date from 11th to the 20th century. The summit is the most revered of Jain temple complexes, surpassing those of Mt Abu, Gwalior, Girnar and Bihar. Palitana town is a good place to shop for textile related handicrafts and has a Jain kala sansta
108 SAMVASARAN MANDIR : The temple in the town of Palitana has 108 idols and sculptures.
JAIN MUSEUMS : Palitana has 2 trust run Jain museums. The Shri Vishal Jain Kala Sansthan and the Stapitya kala graha, with cloth paintings, manuscripts, palm leaf books, book covers, ivory sculpture and paintings on ivory and figurines.
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GETTING THERE |
By road:4-4 1/2 hours Overnight train to Sihor, 45 minutes before Palitana. |
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PLACES TO STAY |
For luxury or deluxe hotels it is recommended to stay in Bhavnagar. The only hotel is Sumeru Toran(Gujarat tourism). |
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- BUDGET/GUEST HOUSE |
150 dharamshalas, ashrams and guest houses. |
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PLACES TO EAT |
Siddhgiri bhojnalaya(Kathiawadi), Sidh Kshetra Bhojnalaya(Jain), Vaishali(Gujarati, South Indian), Sumeru toran(N Indian). |
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