Chaumukh Temple of Palitana

About Chaumukh Temple



Among the 863 temples situated on the Satrunjaya hill, Chaumukh Temple is the highest temple of all, and is located on the northern corner of the Satrunjaya hill. It is one of the most prominent temples which can be seen from a distance of forty kilometres. It is the abode of Lord Rishabhdev, the first Jain Tirthankar, who is also known as Adinath. The temple was constructed in the year 1618, by a wealthy merchant.

The significance of this temple is that the temple has the idol of Lord Adinath with four faces facing cardinally. The temple is decorated with very fine and beautiful jewels which can only be viewed with prior permission of the temple authorities. The temple is an architectural delight with splendid beauty. It has squares which are assorted together to give a formation of a dome on the top. They are perfectly symbolical and the inner part of these square structures represents the five holy hills of the Jain religion. The pillars have beautiful floral designs which add a different charm to the whole place.


Location

The Chaumukh temple is situated on the Satrunjaya hills in the small town of Palitana in the Saurashtra region of Gujarat. It is one of the highest temples, housing the idol of Lord Adinath.

The city of Palitana is one of the most sacred places in India, which contains around 863 temples, situated amidst the Satrunjaya hills.

Best time to visit

The city of Palitana experiences very hot summers. The summer season starts from March till June, when the maximum temperature can rise up to 48 degrees.

During the monsoon season the Satrunjaya hills are closed for tourist as climbing the hills in this season is not allowed. Monsoons start somewhere in July and are there till September.

The most appropriate season to visit this holy place is between October to February, when the temperature is around 20 degrees. The nights are quite chilly and the days are very pleasant.

How to Reach

To reach Palitana, various connectivity options are available. Bhavnagar is the nearest airport at a distance of 51 kilometres. There are various domestic airlines which fly on a daily basis connecting with cities like Mumbai and Surat. But for a better connectivity, Ahmedabad is the best option which connects to major cities as well as internationally. Ahmedabad is at a distance of 231 kms from Palitana and you can reach Palitana from Ahmedabad in about seven hours by road. Palitana has a small railway station and it lies on the meter gauge line. Palitana is only connected with Bhavnagar. The major stopping junction is at Sihor which are then connected with Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar, the capital of Gujrat.

State run Transport buses and private coaches are easily available. There are buses which run on an hourly basis from Palitana to Bhavnagar. Regular bus service from Ahmedabad, Diu, and Una are also available. There are taxis which are available from Palitana to Bhavnagar.

References: Tourism Websites

WBPP05.07.2014



Last Updated on : July 7, 2014