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Climbing Guide

Summary

•Climbing Shatrunjaya Hill in Palitana, Gujarat, is one of Jainism's most revered pilgrimages, leading to a sprawling marble temple city of over 900 shrines.
•The ascent of roughly 3,500 stone steps is both a physical challenge and a spiritual journey, rewarding pilgrims with breathtaking views and profound serenity.
•Because no one may stay overnight on the hill, the climb is a day-long act of devotion, typically completed between sunrise and early afternoon.

•Shatrunjaya Hill ('Hill of Victory') is the crown jewel of Jain pilgrimage, one of the five holiest sites (Panch Tirtha).
•It is dedicated primarily to Adinatha (Rishabhanatha), the first Tirthankara, though temples honor many Tirthankaras.
•The hilltop complex, built and rebuilt over roughly 900 years by wealthy Jain patrons, comprises interconnected temple clusters called 'tuks'—over 900 marble temples and shrines, with the main temple to Adinatha at the highest point and the Chaumukh temple on a smaller peak.
•The sanctity is so profound that no one, not even priests, may remain overnight; the temples open at sunrise and close by early afternoon.
•The base town of Palitana became India's first officially vegetarian city in 2014, reflecting the Jain ethos of non-violence.