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Palitana Temples, Shatrunjaya
Adinath (Jain) · Bhavnagar, Gujarat
॥ ॐ नमो अरिहंताणं ॥
The Shatrunjaya hill above Palitana is the holiest of Jain pilgrimage places, its summit crowned by a city of hundreds of marble temples reached by a climb of some three thousand five hundred steps. Sacred above all to the first Tirthankara, Adinath (Rishabhdev), the hill is a Siddhakshetra, a place of liberation, and no pilgrim may stay upon it overnight — the lord alone dwells there after dark.
A city of temples on the hill
The twin peaks of Shatrunjaya bear more than eight hundred and sixty temples, built and rebuilt over a thousand years in gleaming marble, their spires rising in clusters along the ridge. The chief shrine is that of Adinath, the first of the twenty-four Tirthankaras, and around it the temple-city spreads in walled enclosures called tunks, a sight without equal among the sacred hills of India.
The climb of three thousand steps
Pilgrims climb the hill on foot, some three and a half thousand stone steps rising about six hundred metres, beginning before dawn to reach the summit and return before the temples close — for by the rule of the hill, none may remain on Shatrunjaya after dark, when it belongs to the lord alone. The ascent, made barefoot in devotion, is itself an act of pilgrimage.
The holiest of Jain tirthas
Shatrunjaya is the foremost of the Jain Siddhakshetras, where countless souls are said to have attained liberation, and a pilgrimage every Jain hopes to make. Kartik Purnima brings the great fair, when thousands climb the hill, and the temple-city in marble, set above the plains of Bhavnagar, is among the wonders of religious India.
How to reach the temples
- By road: Palitana is in Bhavnagar district, about 50 km from Bhavnagar; the temples are atop Shatrunjaya hill, reached by the stepped climb.
- By train: Palitana has its own railway station.
- By air: Bhavnagar airport is the nearest, about 55 km away.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the Palitana Temples?
They are a city of hundreds of marble Jain temples atop the Shatrunjaya hill above Palitana, the holiest of Jain pilgrimage places, chief among them the shrine of Adinath.
How many temples are there?
There are more than eight hundred and sixty temples on the twin peaks of Shatrunjaya, built and rebuilt over a thousand years.
How do pilgrims reach the temples?
Pilgrims climb on foot, some three and a half thousand stone steps rising about six hundred metres, often barefoot and beginning before dawn.
Why can no one stay on the hill overnight?
By the rule of the hill, none may remain on Shatrunjaya after dark, when it is held to belong to the lord alone; pilgrims descend before the temples close.
Who is the chief deity?
The chief shrine is of Adinath (Rishabhdev), the first of the twenty-four Tirthankaras of the Jain faith.
How do I reach Palitana?
Palitana is about 50 km from Bhavnagar and has its own railway station; the temples are atop Shatrunjaya hill, reached by the stepped climb.
॥ जय आदिनाथ ॥ • Bhaktiras.net Temple Guide
| Deity | Adinath (Rishabhdev), first Tirthankara |
| Significance | Holiest Jain pilgrimage; a Siddhakshetra |
| Number | 860+ marble temples on the hill |
| Access | Climb of ~3,500 steps |
| Rule | No one may stay overnight on the hill |
| Main Festival | Kartik Purnima |