Shatrunjaya range of hills located in India are the center of faith for Jains. The special thing about this place is that many temples are built on the hills. This place is nowhere else but in Gujarat where you can also go for darshan.
There are many miraculous places in the world. There are some places which present a unique confluence of spirituality, history and natural beauty. There is one such unique mountain where not one or two but more than 800 temples are located at a height. These temples are a center of attraction for tourists.
Shatrunjaya is a hillock located near the city of Palitana in the Bhavnagar district of Gujarat, India. The hills are situated on the banks of the Shetrunji River at an elevation of approximately 164 feet (50 m) above sea level. These hills bear similarities to other locations where Jain temples have been constructed, including those in Bihar, Gwalior, Mount Abu, and Girnar.
The sacred Jain hill of Shatrunjaya is home to 865 temples. The site was sanctified when Rishabha, the first Tirthankara of Jainism, delivered his sermons on the summit.
Palitana Temples are a group of Jain temples located 50 km from Bhavnagar in Gujarat. There are 863 numbers of big and small temples which are placed on the top of a hillock called Mount Satrunjaya. This famous Jain pilgrimage center is regarded as one of the world’s largest Temple Complex. All the temples are exquisitely carved in marble and it is a spectacular sight to watch the Palitana Jain temples spread over the hill.
Main temple is located on top of the hill
These clusters of Palitana temples are dedicated to the 24 Jain Thirthankaras. The main temple is located on top of the hill and enshrines a white-colored idol of Bhagawan Adinatha or Rishabha in the Padmasana posture. Rishabdeva is the first Jain Tirthankara.
This mountain is the center of faith of millions of people. It is said that this is the only mountain where so many temples are built.
The main temple here is located at a height where people have to climb 3000 stairs to reach it. It is said that 23 out of 24 Jain Tirthankaras reached this hillock. Because of this it has religious importance.
Temples shine like pearls in moonlight
These temples located on Shatrunjaya mountain are made of marble and their beauty is different from all others. These temples were built in the 11th century. Whenever the rays of the sun fall, these temples shine even more. When seen in the moonlight, they shine like pearls.
How to reach Shatrunjaya Hillock
These temples are located in Palitana. People visit this hillock with devotion and faith where they get peace and comfort. To reach here, you can come to the nearest airport Bhavnagar Airport. From here this hillock is located 51 km away. Apart from this, one can also reach here by train or taxi from Palitana railway station.