gujarat

Palitana

Palitana a city and a municipality in the Bhavnagar district of Gujarat.It is located 50 km South-West of Bhavnagar city and is a major pilgrimage centre for Jains.

History:

As a "Second Class" princely state, founded in 1194 (one of the major states in Saurashtra, where there were many smaller states), Palitana covered 777 km² and had 58,000 inhabitants (in 1921) in 91 villages, generating a 744,416 Rs revenue.

It used to be a native state of India in the Kathiawar agency of the Bombay presidency. Area, 289 sq. m.; pop. (1901), 52,856, showing a decrease of 15% in the decade. The chief was a Gohel Rajput, with the title of Thakur Sahib. Gross revenue, £42,000; tribute jointly to the Gaekwar of Baroda and the Nawab of Junagadh, £700. The capital of the state is Palitana; pop. 12,800. It was ruled by a Thakore sahib (also spelled Thakor Saheb), enjoying a 9-guns salute, of the Hindu Gohil dynasty, which received a privy purse of 180,000 Rupees at the state's accession to independent India on 15 February 1948.

No one is allowed to sleep overnight including the priest, because the temple city has been built as an abode for the Gods. There were Sixteen Renovation of temples as bellow.

• First Renovation : By Chakravarti Bharat, the son of Bhagawan Adinath.
• Second Renovation : By the King named Dandavirya.
• Third Renovation : By Shri Ishaneshvar in the interim period between the times of the first and the second Tirthankaras.
• Fourth Renovation : By Mahendra of the fourth upper world (dev-loko).
• Fifth Renovation : By Brahmendra of the fifth upper world.
• Sixth Renovation : By Chamarendra, Indra of Bhavanapatis.
• Seventh Renovation : By Sagar Chakravarti, the second Chakravarti of the times of Bhagawan Ajitnath.
• Eighth Renovation : By Vyantarendra in the times of Abhinandan Swami.
• Ninth Renovation : By King Chandrayasha in the times of Chandraprabh Swami
• Tenth Renovation : By Chakradhar, the son of Bhagawan Shantinath in the times of Bhagawan Shantinath.
• Eleventh Renovation : By Ramchandraji and Lakshamanji in the times of Munisuvrat Swami.
• Twelfth Renovation : By the five Pandavas in the times of Bhagawan Neminathji.
• Thirteenth Renovation : By Sheth Javed Shah of Mahuva in the year 108 of the Vikram era. He spent a million gold mohurs. In exuberance of joy, he died and was re-born in the fourth upper world (dev-loke).
• Fourteenth Renovation : By the advisor Bahud in the times of Kumarpal in the year 1213 of the Vikram era.
• Fifteenth Renovation : By Shri Samara Shah in the year 1371 of the Vikram era.
• Sixteenth 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.

Get in:

• By Air:

Bhavnagar, the nearest airport lies at a distance of 51 kilometer from Palitana, but it connects only with Mumbai. For people coming from other places, a more convenient airport would be Ahmedabad which has an international airport or Vadodara a.k.a Baroda as it is connected through regular flights to many important cities of the country like Mumbai and Delhi.

• By Rail: Palitana is a small railway station and has connection only with Bhavnagar. Best way is to take a train to bhavnagar and go by road to Palitana using local transport. The railway station at Palitana is improving and it is going to soon have direct trains from Mumbai and Ahmedabad.
• By Road: There are busses for Bhavnagar from Palitana. Regular buses are also available from Ahmedabad, Talaja, Una, and Diu. Taxis are also available on hire for Palitana from Bhavnagar, Ahmedabad or Vadodra. The bus stand is situated 800 meters away from the Palitana railway station. Since Palitana is an important destination for a lot of people who follow Jainism, and the fact that there are a lot of people in Mumbai (Bombay ), there are buses that run daily between Mumbai and Palitana.

Get around:

Palitana is the fantastic hilltop Jain temple city, an essential holy pilgrimage destination for this nonviolent community. A city of gleaming marble monuments housing representations of the few human souls that have managed to be liberated from the cycle of life, Palitana has over 850 temples atop sacred Mount Satrunjaya (the “hill that conquers enemies”),which makes it highest number of temple city. Many of these temples date to 15-16th centuries while some of them date to even earlier periods. The top is reached by climbing (or by being carried up) 3,572 steps—a stiff 2-hour ascent. Amid the massive warren of white marble shrines and temples, you’ll encounter many devotees dressed in white, some wearing gauze masks to filter innocent microbes from the air that they breathe. Some of the devotees attain ecstatic heights, practicing their faith with devotional singing, clapping, and humming. Others create devotional patterns on the ground using rice and nuts, or are seen gently waving fly-whisks over the idols as a gesture of respect.

                      Beautiful Column support in Temple                                Dwarpal Of Temple (Gate Keepper)

Somnth Temple:

Somnath temple is situated 25 kms from Chorwad and 80 kms form Junagadh. Somnath temple is among the twelve most sacred Lord Shiva Shrines in India. According to the beliefs, Somnath temple is built by God Moon and is very ancient. According to the history, Mehmud of Gazni was attracted to this temple because of its fabulous treasures. He attacked this temple in 1026 and carried away camel loads of gold, jewels and many other things. Somnath Temple was built and destroyed several time, but then also it has remain one of the temple of his own kind in India.

Girnar:

Girnar mountain is located in Junagadh town. From Ahmedabad, Junagadh is 327 km. There are Private tourists buses are well as State Transport buses from all the major cities of Gujarat to Junagadh. There are around 4000 steps to be covered to reach the place. In between, there are many other temples like Neminath temple, Amba Mata temple, then one Muslim Shrine, Bhavnath temple etc. All these temples are located at the Peak of Girnar Mountains. Very famous temple built in honor of Neminath. Then comes the temple of Amba Mata. Mostly new wedded couples comes to offer their prayer to this temple to take blessings of Mother Goddess Amba for their whole married life and also their family. Little ahead of the Amba Mata temple, is a Muslim Shrine, is also famous and the people from all religion go their offer prayers. Women who are childless, comes to this place for worship because it is believed that it can create miracle. Bhavnath temple is at the foot of Girnar Mountain. This temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. In the month of February, Mahashivratri festival is celebrated for five days. The most important ritual of the celebrations is the 'mahapuja' of Lord Shiva. The puja is performed at midnight in the temple on the 14th day of the waning moon of the Indian month of Magh.

Dwarka:

Dwarka is situated 145kms distance form Jamnagar. The five-storey temple is supported on 60 columns and is crowned by a soaring elaborately carved spire. Dwarka is the holy place known for Lord Krishna. This is one of the place where Lord Krishna had ruled after defeating Kansa. Although, every time it is very crowded, but the JANMASTMI (Time of Krishna’s birth) festival is fabulous. There are lots of functions and fairs are organised in this occasion. State Transport buses are connected from all the major places of Gujarat. Around Dwrka there are few other places like Okha and Nageshwar Mahadev and the Gopi Talav Tirth. Okha is a ferry ride from Dwaraka to the island of Bet. The Nageshwar Mahadev and the Gopi Talav Tirth are two other sites of religious significance near Dwaraka. Nageshwar and Gopi Talav are 17 kms is 23 kms respectively from here. The five-storey temple is supported on 60 columns and is crowned by a soaring elaborately carved spire.