Palitana is one of the most important pilgrim
spots for Jains. The Shetrunjaya hill, with
it’s 863 temple covered mountain summit,
600 meters over the town is considered by many
Jains to be more important then the temple covered
hills of Bihar, Gwalior, Mt Abu and Girnar.
Palitana was the capital of a princely state
of the Gohil Rajput clan, was known for it’s
Kathiawadi horses, and has a number of palatial
buildings. It is also one of the greatest tourist
attractions in Gujarat for foreign tourists.
Palitana
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 Kal,a Sansthan and the Stapitya
kala graha, with cloth paintings, manuscripts,
palm leaf books, book covers, ivory sculpture
and paintings on ivory and figurines.
Palitana
GETTING THERE
Appx 200 kms from Ahmedabad,
trains upto Sihor, 30 kms from Palitana Town
PLACES TO STAY
-
LUXURY
Nilambagh
palace hotel, Dil bahar at Bhavnagar, 55 kms from
Palitana
- DELUXE
Blue hill, Jubilee,
Apollo, White Rose At Bhavnagar, 55 kms from Palitana
-
MODERATE
Sumeru
toran, also hotels at Sihore, 30 kms from Palitana
- BUDGET/GUEST
HOUSE
Over 150 dharamshalas
and guest houses, Shravak, Pathik ashram, Mahavir
lodge, Ready money etc
