The 863 Jain Temples at
Palitana in
Gujarat were built over a period of 900 years – between 11th and 20th century. Intricately carved and adorned with arches and pillars, these marble temples are all located on the
Shatrunjaya Hill, 2,000 feet over the small town of Palitana.
More than 100 large temples, 800 small shrines and over 7,000 images of Jain Tirthankars can be seen here. The Jain temples are beautiful examples of the North Indian style of temple architecture. The temples are grouped in enclosures called Tuks. The enclosures consist of porch, assembly hall, sanctum sanctorum and a corridor encircling the sanctum. Geometrical and floral decorations adorn its spires.
The main complex of
Shri Adishwara Temple was built by Raja Kumarapal in Vikram era 1213. It has ornate pillars and marble roofs, decorated with shapes of dragons. The temple is the most profusely decorated shrine in Palitana. The temple has a white-colored seated idol of Jain Tirthankar
Adinath.
Palitana is connected by road with
Bhavnagar,
Ahmedabad and
Rajkot. The nearest airport is at Bhavnagar. Lakhs of pilgrims come to pay their respects at these temples on
Mahavir Jayanti.
