| Palitana Temples - Palitana |
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| Palitana is a major pilgrimage centre for Jains and has the largest concentration of Jain temples. The Palitana temples, a total of 1250 temples located on the Shetrunjaya hills exquisitely carved in marble are considered the most sacred pilgrimage place by the Jain community. The Palitana temples were built in two phases-the 11th and 12th centuries some of them were destroyed by Muslim invaders in the 14th and 15th centuries and in the 16th century are the current temples dated onwards. The main temple on top of the hill, is dedicated to 1st tirthankar lord Adinath (Rishabdeva). No one is allowed to sleep overnight including the priest, because the temple city has been built as an abode for the Gods. The Palitana temples are grouped in enclosures called tuks. An entrance porch, hallway, assembly hall, sanctum sanctorum, and circumambulatory are some of the common features in the temples of Palitana. |
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| With their profusion of sculptures and carving the temples in Palitana are simpler than other Jain temples. For their principal walls many of the smaller temples have used white plaster, saving the marble for the domes and spires. |
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| Palitana houses perhaps the largest cluster of Jain temples anywhere. From the base to the peak of the Shatrunjaya Hill, where the Palitana temples are located, there are in all 863 temples. Not any one person or group was responsible for the construction of these magnificent temples. It was the effort of the wealthy businessmen who were followers of Jainism that these buildings came into existence. |
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| The Chaumukh temple is among the most important temple. The diety of the temple is four-faced deity of Adinath enshrined on a marble pedestal in a shrine open on all four sides. The Chaumukh temple is located on the northern edge of the hill and built in early 17th century. Architecturally Vimalshah temple is one of the most impressive. The temple is subdivided into smaller squares, each structure topped by a dome and is planned as a large square. |
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| Representing the five hills sacred to the Jains, the innermost five dome-topped squares form a cross. Probably the most profusely decorated temple in Palitana the Adiswara temple, ornate pillars and roofs decorated with intricately cut marble in the shape of dragons is the main attraction of the temple. The Sampriti Raja and Kumarpal temples are the other temples worth architectural mention here in the group of this temple. |
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| The temple was renovated 16 times as under. And some of the great personalities under the guidance by Chakravarti Bharat, the son of Bhagawan Adinath, by the King named Dandavirya, Shri Ishaneshvar in the interim period between the times of the first and the second Tirthankaras, by Mahendra of the fourth upper world (dev-loko), Brahmendra of the fifth upper world, by Chamarendra, Indra of Bhavanapatis, Sagar Chakravarti, the second Chakravarti of the times of Bhagawan Ajitnath, by Vyantarendra in the times of Abhinandan Swami, King Chandrayasha in the times of Chandraprabh Swami, by Chakradhar, the son of Bhagawan Shantinath in the times of Bhagawan Shantinath by Ramchandraji and Lakshamanji in the times of Munisuvrat Swami, by the five Pandavas in the times of Bhagawan Neminathji by Sheth Javed Shah of Mahuva in the year 108 of the Vikram era, by the advisor Bahud in the times of Kumarpal in the year 1213 of the Vikram era, by Shri Samara Shah in the year 1371 of the Vikram era and the last renovation by Shri Karama Shah of Chitod on the auspicious sixth day of the dark half of the month of Vaishakh in the year 1587 of the Vikram era. |
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| The prosperous merchant classes are the most of the followers of Jain faith belong and donating large sums of money to the building of intricately carved temples and the temples in Palitana are evidence of expressing their devotion. |
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| Ahmedabad |
| On the way to Ahmedabad a famous site of the Indus Valley Civilization, Lothal is around 143 km away from here. |
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| Bhavnagar |
| Around 51 km away from Palitana, Bhavnagar is a rich princely city. The place is also a base for the tourists visiting Palitana. |
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| Valabhipur |
| North of Palitana, Valabhipur was once the capital of this region. Extensive ruins have been located and archeological finds are exhibited in a museum nearby. |
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