Palitana -One of Jainism’s holiest pilgrimage sites is the sea of 900 year old temples on top of Shatrunjay Hill located at the edge of Palitana city. Early temples were built in the 11th century but later destroyed by Muslim attackers. The current temples date from the 16th century onwards.
You can walk slowly and enjoy the amazing moments and the beautiful views of Palitana hills to enjoy the most of your trip.
Everything in Palitana temples is arranged in a civilized manner. The place does not have monkeys and has seller men of biscuits and water all along the way. The temple is so clean and tidy that you will not find any garbage in the area. Within 3- 4 hours you can reach the top of the hill from where you can have the amazing view of numerous Jain temples at one place.
Each and every temple is surrounded by the smell of roses as the pilgrims used them for their ritual prayers. People also pray to Jain Gods by putting rice in some ornament on the floors. In every temple, musicians play amazing music that makes the entire environment-friendly and welcoming.
There are numerous places where you can enjoy the snacks and view the lakes from the hills.
Patilana to Bhavnagar
Bhavnagar is a small town near to Palitana, once you are done with all the temples of Palitana, you can visit the town Bhavnagar. For rest, you can take hotel room or any dharamshala room in the town to take some rest. You will find the cabs at very cheap prices here.
Best Time To Visit Palitana.
Palitana has a pleasant climate round the year. Summers range from March to June which remains dry and hot. Winters are mild and cool and provide the best views of the nearby Gulf Of Cambay seacoast owing to clear skies.
How To Reach Palitana
By air: The nearest airport is Bhavnagar which is at a distance of 51 km. However, the best way to plan an air trip is via Ahmadabad for it is well connected to Delhi and Mumbai and offers a daily flight to major cities of the country.
By rail: Palitana has a small railway station connected to Bhavnagar. Most trains stop at Sihor which is connected to nearby cities of Ahmadabad and Gandhinagar.
By road: Hourly buses are available from Palitana to Bhavnagar. Private transport and cars also offer services from nearby cities.
A planned road trip from Ahmadabad takes about 4 hours to reach Palitana and is the best option for car and bike rides during the early winters.
The temples have exquisite architecture and are ornamented in such a way that sunlight transforms the marble structures into ivory shields. Of the 863 temples, the temple of Adishwar is said to be the holiest one. Other major temples include the Adinath, Bimal Shah, Sampriti Raj, Kumarpal.
Main Attraction
A)
The hectic climb of 4000 steps might not leave you with much time in hand to visit all the shrines as nobody is allowed to stay within the premises at night, you may consider travelling to Chaumukha temple. The temple gets its name for the four-faced statue of Adinath which faces four major directions. Built in 1618
B) Shri Vishal Jain museum
Located at the base of Shratunjay hills, the Jain Museum hosts a collection of Jain artefacts that date back to 500 years old. Ancient manuscripts written on palm leaves, excavated idols dating back to thousands of years, this place is a truly a treatise for history lovers. The museum also hosts information on Jain history and exhibits on Lord Mahavira's life. The wonderful part of the museum complex is a round temple in the basement which features the images of four Tirthankaras, and beautiful mirror walls all around.
C) 3. Angaarsha Pir Dargah
Legend says that the dargah at the top of the Shratunjay hills was made to honour the Muslim Pir who had protected the citizens from the invasion of Allauddin Khilji. The dargah is known to fulfil wishes of childless couples and those with ailments. Numerous people from all religions visiting this shrine represent the perfect blend of diversity and religious harmony of the place.
D) Jambudweep Temple, Palitana, Gujarat
Jambudweep Temple is one of the main temples located in Palitana and dedicated to Lord Adinath Bhagwan.
The 108 feet high statue of Adinath Bhagwan is installed here for darshan.
Main points
**There are approximately 863 marble-carved temples on the hills.
**The main temple is reached by stepping up 3500 steps.
*** "Don’t wear leather items like shoes or a belt.”
************
Wear clean and ironed clothes. Adinath will see this and you will receive more energy for walking.”
“Chant ‘Adinath-Adinath’ at every step, which will give more energy too.”
“Don’t bring food – take just a bottle of water if you really have to. The only food you are allowed to carry to the top is rice and coconut, to offer in the temples.”
*******and don’t forget to greet the other pilgrims with Jai Jinendrah!”
Details collected by Suresh. Sunkara
+919840344634
www.saisaranam.in
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