Palitana is an important pilgrimage center in the state of Gujarat & is located about 50 kms from Bhavnagar. Palitana houses the largest cluster of Jain temples & it is the most sacred place for Jains. Palitana was the capital of the state ruled by the Gohil Rajputs. A part of the Saurashtra region, Palitana is known for its exquisitely carved temples. Apart from temples, Palitana is also known for its textiles, handicrafts, palatial buildings & Kathiawadi horses. Palitana lies at the foot of the Shatrunjaya Hill & there are more than 850 temples from the base to the peak of the hill. These temples were built over a span of 900 years & the Jain community has been making contributions over generations to build these temples.
Palitana has a tropical monsoon climate. The three main seasons are summer, monsoon & winter. Summers are hot as the temperatures soar (40°C is common). The winter is mild with temperatures dropping to 10°C. Monsoon lasts from mid-June through September. Therefore the best months to visit is between October & March when the climate is dry & cool. However maximum people visit Palitana during the month of Shravan (according to the Hindu calendar), which is considered very holy for Jains.
It is not easy to find places that exchange currency in Palitana. There are a few banks & banking facilities are available but most places do not exchange currency.
No permit is required to travel to Palitana other than a visa for India. The consumption of alcohol is prohibited in Gujarat. Visitors need to obtain a permit for photography. The permit can be obtained at the Anandji Kalyanji Pedhi on the way up the hill. The hotels also assist you with details on how to obtain the permit.
By Air: The nearest airport Bhavnagar, about 50 kms from Palitana has flights only to Mumbai. Ahmedabad & Baroda are more convenient options for visitors coming from other cities as both these cities are well connected to the rest of the country. International visitors can travel via Mumbai or Ahmedabad.
By Rail
Palitana lies on the Western meter gauge line & has a rail connection only with Bhavnagar. It is more convenient to take a train to Bhavnagar or Sihor & travel by road to Palitana, which takes about an hour & half. Local trains from Bhavnagar are also available. Palitana is close to Sihor & Bhavanagar and most of the cities in Gujarat are connected to both these places by regular trains.
By Road
Palitana is well connected to the rest of the state through a good network of roads. There are daily State transport & private luxury buses to Bhavnagar (1 ½ hrs), Mumbai, Sihor, Una(6 hrs), Diu (5 hrs), Ahmedabad(7 hrs), Rajkot, Surat etc. Tourists can also hire taxis from Bhavnagar, Baroda & Ahmedabad to travel to Palitana. Shared taxis are also available from Bhavnagar at very nominal rates.
The Shartunjaya Hill is about 2000 ft above Palitana. There are about 3950 steps and it takes almost two hours to reach the top. It is a tiring climb & dolis are available for hire for those who are unable to walk up. All Jains aspire to climb the hill at least once in their lifetime. (It is a belief that by climbing the hill at least once, one can attain Nirvana). Food cannot be eaten or carried on the way but one must not forget to carry water during the climb. From the foot of the hill to the peak there are numerous temples with exquisite carvings & beautiful motifs. These temples are of great religious as well as architectural importance. The Adishwar temple is the temple of the first theerthankara & is the most important temple on the hill. Also known as the Chaumukh temple, the marble roofs and pillars are carved intricately. The shrine contains a four-faced deity of Adinath on a marble pedestal and the temple was built in the 17th century. The temples on the hill are divided in 9 tuks- a cluster in which the main temple is surrounded by several smaller temples. These temples are beautifully decorated with geometrical designs & floral motifs, exquisitely carved toranas, beautiful arches, and bejeweled idols. The other famous temples are Vimal Shah, Sampriti Raj, Ramaji Gandharia (16th century), Bhulavani, Kumar Pal, Vallabhai Temple, Motisah temple & Adinath temple. The temples are open from dawn to dusk & no person (not even the priests) is allowed to remain on the hill after dusk. Leather items are prohibited. Near the main temple there is a Muslim shrine of Angar Pir, which is often visited by childless women, as it is believed that they will be blessed with children once the Pir blesses them. The Shri Vishal Jain Kala Sansthan and the Stapitya kala graha are the two Jain museums in Palitana. These museums have ancient paintings, manuscripts, ivory idols & other sculptures on display. On special permission from the Hill Inspector or The Manager, Anandji Kalyanji Trust, visitors can also get a chance to view the temple jewellery, which adorns the deities on special occasions.
Gujarati & Jain food is the most popular cuisine in Palitana. Most places offer Gujarati & Jain thalis at reasonable rates. Most dharamshalas also serve simple vegetarian food at nominal prices.
Where To Stay:
There are a few hotels in Palitana where one can find accommodation. Hotel Sumeru, Station Rd, owned by the Gujarat Tourism where you can find A/C & Non A/C rooms at reasonable rates. Hotel Shravak also has A/C & Non A/C rooms as well as dorm beds. There are many dharamshalas in Palitana, which offer simple but inexpensive accommodation but most of them offer accommodation to Jains only. (Very few of these dharamshalas offer accommodation to others)
Palitana is not recommended as a stand-alone destination but it can be clubbed with nearby sites such as Bhavnagar, Lothal (a site from the Indus Valley Civilization) & Vallabhipur which is also known for its archaeological findings. Bhavnagar is the base for visiting Palitana.
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