Panchasara Jain Temple

Getting there

• By air

  Ahmedabad is the nearest airport, 125 km from Patan.

• By train

  Patan has a railway station. The train reaches Mehsana in 1.5 hours, and a bus runs from there to Patan.

• By road

  Intercity buses from Ahmedabad take 2 hours 41 minutes. From Mehsana, the bus takes 1 hour.

Why devotees come here

Panchasara Jain Temple stands in the middle of Patan town in Gujarat. It is a Shvetambara Jain temple, one of the largest in Patan, and its main sanctum holds a white marble idol of Parshvanath in padmasana posture. Patan has long drawn Jain pilgrims.

The temple is also known as the Jinalaya Vanraj Vihar. It takes its name from Panchasara, a village. Legend says the idol was brought from Panchasara village, and the temple takes its name from there. Panchasara Derasar is listed among the town's most popular Jain temples.

King Vanraj Chavda built the temple around 746 CE, dedicated to Parshvanath. The first temple was made of wood, and Muslim invaders destroyed it. Over the centuries the temple was rebuilt and renovated with stone. It was rebuilt in the 16th to 17th century after destruction by Muslim invaders.

The temple is built of white marble, with rich stonework and sacred carvings. It measures 180 feet long and 90 feet wide. The domed ceiling has concentric rings of figures and a lotus-shaped pendant hanging from the centre of the dome.

Festivals

• Date not given in our sourcesMahavir Janma Kalyanak

  A festival listed for this temple. Ask the temple for the date before you plan a visit.

Tips for your visit

• Look up at the domed ceiling, where concentric rings of figures surround a lotus-shaped pendant that hangs from the centre.
• The temple is built of white marble with sacred carvings, so take time to look closely at the walls and ceiling.
• Patan was a major Jain pilgrimage centre under the Solanki dynasty, so the visit also shows the town's Jain history.

Questions people ask