Palitana Temples

Getting there

• By air

  Bhavnagar airport is 51 km or 2 hours away.

• By train

  Palitana has its own railway station with connections to key destinations in Gujarat.

• By road

  Palitana is 51 km from Bhavnagar, 4 hours from Rajkot, 5 hours from Ahmedabad and 6 hours from Vadodara.

Rules to know

• Nobody may stay on the hill overnight, and that includes the priests.
• The descent must begin before evening, because no one may remain on the mountain at night.
• Food must not be eaten or carried on the way.

Why devotees come here

Palitana in Gujarat is the base for climbing Shatrunjaya hill, one of the holiest sites in Jainism. Hundreds of temples stand on the hilltop, reached by more than 3,750 stone steps.

Shatrunjaya hill, near the town of Palitana, is regarded as one of the holiest sites in Jainism. Jains believe that 23 of the 24 Tirthankaras, all except Neminatha, visited and made the place sacred. Jain tradition says Rishabha, also called Adinath, the first Tirthankara, made the hill holy and gave his first sermon here.

The temples were built, damaged, restored and expanded over about 900 years, starting in the 11th century. Kumarpal Solanki, a Jain patron, built the first temples on the site. Turkish invaders destroyed them in 1311, and in 1730 the Anandji Kalyanji Trust took over their management.

The temples are spread across nine tuks, or groups, on the two ridges of the hill. Each group has a central temple with smaller shrines beside it. The style is Maru-Gurjara, found mainly in Gujarat and Rajasthan. The Adinath temple holds a white idol 2.16 metres tall, seated in the padmasana posture.

Festivals

• Around Kartik PurnimaKartik Purnima

  Crowds swell into the thousands, and the day marks the end of Chaturmas.

• February or MarchFagun Sud 13

  Thousands of Jain followers visit the temple complex on this day, believing it helps them reach salvation.

Tips for your visit

• Start the climb early in the morning to avoid the daytime heat.
• The climb rises gradually through gateways and monuments.
• Rooms in town fill quickly during Kartik Purnima, so book accommodation in advance.
• Takhteshwar Temple, with views over Bhavnagar, can be combined with your trip.

Questions people ask