Palitana Overview

The Palitana are the temples of Jainism in the city of Palitana in the Bhavnagar district of Gujarat. There is another city with a similar name, ‘Padliptapur’ in Jharkhand. The Palitana temple is also famous as the “city of temples. The two cities are popular as the holiest places for the Jain community. The city is one of the best places to visit in Palitana. 

After the completion of the city, nobody, including priests, was allowed to stay overnight. It is believed that it is a place for God to stay. Jains believe that it is a must-visit place for them once in a lifetime to get salvation. However, the temples are a must-visit during the Palitana tour package.

History

The Palitana temples were built around 900 years ago, in the 11th century. Kumarpal Solanki, a Jain supporter, built the first temple. In 1311 AD, the temple god was destroyed by the Turkish Muslim invaders. Later, the Jain supporters took charge of the temples and restored them to their former glory. 

Architecture

The temples have delicate marble carvings, including a small portrait painted on ivory. Countless artists worked hard to create this great artwork. The first temple of Tirthankara, Shri Adishwar, has architecture with very detailed designs. 

Tourists can see similar unique sculpting in other temples, such as Kumarpal, Vimal Shah, and Sampriti Raja. Kumarpal Solanki, a Jain supporter, has built many more Jain temples. The temples also have a collection of jewels; Visitors need special permission to see them. 

What is Palitana Gujarat famous for?

The city is famous for its Jain temples and beautiful architecture. It is also popular as the “city of temples.” On the hills, there are 1300 marble temples. At the top of the hill, there is the main temple, the first Jain Tirthankara of Lord Adinath.