Shetrunjay Tirth

Mulnayak: The mulnayak at Shri Shatrunjay Tirth is Shri Rushabhdev Bhagwan in Padmasana Posture. The height of the idol is 7 feet tall and the color of the idol is white.

Location: Shri Shatrunjay Tirth is also known as Palitana Tirth, which is located on the hills of Shatrunjay near the bank of the Shatrunjay river, in the state of Gujarat. 

Significance of Tirth:  Shatrunjay means “place of victory against inner enemies” or “which conquers inner enemies”. Shri Shatrunjay Tirth is an eternal Tirth. It is said that 23 of 24 Jain tirthankaras, except Shri Neminath bhagwan, sanctified the hills of Shatrunjay by their visits. Tirthankar Shri Rushabhdev’s chief follower, Shri Pundrik swam attained moksha here along with more than 5 crore followers. The main temple is supported by 72 pillars. The main temple is reached by stepping up more than 3500 steps. Besides the main temple, there are 8 temple complexes on the hill. All together known as Nav-Tunk. There are approximately 900 temples on the hills of Shatrunjay, spread mostly in nine clusters. There are more than 10,000 idols of Tirthankars in these temples. The Palitana temples were built over a period of 900 years starting in the 11th century AD. According to the Shatrunjay Mahatmya, the first Tirthankar, Shri Rushabhdev Bhagwan sanctified the hill where he delivered his first sermon. Every year on Falgun Sud Teras thousands of pilgrims take a 12 mile round trip Yatra known as Chha Gaon Yatra. Hinglaj Ambikadevi (known as Hinglaj Mata) is considered as the main deity of the hill.

History of Tirth: The present temple was constructed under the reign of King Kumarpal in the 12th century. There was rebuilding of Shatrunjay after the 1500 AD because it suffered much destruction during the muslim conquests in the 14th and 15th century. While climbing the mountains you can see the river Shetrunji. The peak is 2 miles and 2 furlongs long. Shatrunjay is known as the eternal Tirth.