Palitana Jain Temples
Palitana is located in Gujarat, 51 km south west of Bhavnagar Gujarat
India.Palitana is a Cluster of famous Jain temples. Amongst all the Jain temples, Palitana temples are considered to be the most sacred. Palitana was the capital of a princely state of the Gohil Rajput clan. It is also one of the greatest tourist attractions in Gujarat State to foreign tourists. Digamber Jain Temple where 9 shrines of all Trithankaras are being placed. Among all is the 1008 Bhagwan Shantinath which is the principal deity. On the top of the hill 873 temples were built of white marble, the work beginning in the 11th century and continuing for 900 long’ years. However, destroyed by the Muslim invasions in 14th and 15th centuries, the temples were rebuilt a new in the year 1500. They are unique- in their architecture and sculpture. The ornamented temples look like ivory miniatures in the sunlight, seems to be wedding cake. Notable among the temples are Adinath, Kumarpal, Sampriti Raj, Bimal Shah. The holiest temple among the cluster, according to the Jain pilgrims, is the temple of Adishwar, the first Jain Tirthankar. It is also the most beautifully wrought. The marble image of the deity is bedecked with gold ornaments studded with precious jewels. The largest temple built in 1618 is that of 4-faced Adinath, the first Tirthankara.Bhagawan AdishvarJain Teerth:
This temple is made of white stone that can be seen in Padmasana temple. There are also some beautiful idols of Yudhishthir, Bheem, Arjun and other Bhagwan Parsavanth idol. On the northern gate of the temple there are foot print of Bhagwan Adinath and Bhagwan Sambhavnath. There are 3745 steps to reach the temple. The town has a good road and rail network that connects it to the other cities of Gujarat. Bhavnagar, the nearest airport lies at a distance of 60 kilometer from Palitana. Siddha Kshetra Shri Shatrunjaya Teerth is situated on a hill, which is decorated by 3500 temples. Spires of the temples attract pilgrims from a far distance. Nagarjuna founded Palitana, which derives its name from Guru Padalipta or politta. The chief attraction here is the holy Jain shrine Shatrunjay Hill, 3 km away from the railway station. It is on the Shetrunjaya Mountain at a distance of nearly six kilometers near the city of the bank of the river Shetrunjaya. This mountain has 3800 steps. On it, there are 700 temples with summits. 7000 idols are installed in them. The artistry and sculpture of these temples aptly illustrate the ancient art.
The Digamber Jain temple
The Digamber Jain temple on Shatrunjaya Teerth is an ancient temple, has 9 shrines with various Teerthankaras idols installed. On the main shrine of temple, the magnificent idol of principal deity 1008 Bhagwan Shantinath is installed, this is 42 inch in height; in Padmasana posture made of white stone & was installed in V.S. 1686. According to the inscription on idol, a famous businessman of Ahmedabad installed this.
In this temple, beautiful standing idols of Yudhishthir, Bheem and Arjun are also installed in V.S. 2025, these three Pandavas attained salvation from here. Two another idols of Bhagwan Parshvanath each 24 inch in height in Padmasana posture are installed here, one is called Chintamani Parshvanath and other is called Vighnaharan Parshvanath. Both were installed in V.S. 1734. On the both sides of northern gate of temple foot images of Bhagwan Adinath and Bhagwan Sambhavanath are installed. On the inner shrine with attractive spires, there are three foot images of three Pandavas are also installed.