Palitana Jain Temples, Gujarat

The Palitana Jain Temple which was constructed over a whooping period of 900 years was not built at a stretch but in two phases. The first phase was from 11th to 12th Centuries AD and the next i.e. the second one from 16th Century onwards. Palitana temples are Jain temple located in Shatrunjaya hill in Patilana city of Bhavnagar district, Gujarat. This beautiful architectural monument contains almost 863 marble curved temples. It is considered as holiest of all the pilgrimage places by the Jain community.

As the name suggest the hill means victorious over the enemies and as Jainism interprets, the place where you win over your senses and reach salvation. This first of the temple were created long back during the time of Tirthankara Rishav. After that this became the sacred pilgrimage center for the Jains. Over the year the city of temples was amended and renovated many time by various rulers. Currently there are a total of eight hundred sixty three temples in the Shatrunjaya Hill. All the temples are marble stone made and all belongs to Swetambara Sect of Jainism. Only one temple is dedicated to Digambara Sect. The principal deity of Palitana Jainism Temples is Goddess Hingraj Ambikadevi. The Palitana Jain Temples is located atop of Shatrunjaya hill which is a 3,500+ step stair travel for the pilgrims from the hill below.

Since time immemorial, the land of the mystics has been accountable for erection of innumerable number of holy shrines belonging to different beliefs and belonging to different eras. This is because the Indian subcontinent has been the birth place of many religions and also the land of many dynasties.