Jain pilgrimage in India from the UK: Palitana, Girnar, Shikharji and more

Why UK Jain families travel

Britain has a large Jain community, much of it with roots in Gujarat and East Africa. A tirth yatra to the holy sites is a deeply important journey, often made by grandparents with the family, or planned around Paryushan, a family milestone or a sangh yatra with others from the local derasar.

The tirthas are spread across India, and several involve long climbs. Good planning makes the difference between an exhausting trip and a peaceful one.

Palitana and Shatrunjaya

The Shatrunjaya hill above Palitana, about 55 km south-west of Bhavnagar, holds one of the largest temple complexes in the world, with hundreds of temples, often counted at close to a thousand. Pilgrims climb more than 3,500 stone steps to the summit, usually starting before dawn to avoid the heat, and dolis carried by porters are available for those who cannot walk.

The temples close to pilgrims during the monsoon, for about four months, and reopen after it. Plan your visit for the open season, roughly from Kartik Purnima onwards.

Our tip: Start the Shatrunjaya climb in the dark and you will reach the top as the sun rises. It is cooler and much quieter.

Girnar

Mount Girnar, above Junagadh, is sacred to Jains as the place associated with Neminatha, and to Hindus for the Ambika temple and other shrines. The climb is long, with thousands of steps. Since October 2020, a ropeway has carried pilgrims up to the Ambika temple area, which shortens the climb a great deal for many visitors.

Junagadh is a few hours by road from Rajkot, and the city itself has fine old buildings worth a few hours. Palitana and Girnar make a natural Saurashtra circuit.

Ranakpur and Dilwara in Rajasthan

Ranakpur, in the Aravalli hills between Udaipur and Jodhpur, is famous for its white marble temple with its forest of carved pillars. The Dilwara temples at Mount Abu are known for some of the finest marble carving in India.

Udaipur airport, reached via Delhi or Mumbai, is the usual gateway for both. See our flights to Rajasthan guide for the routes.

Sammed Shikharji

Sammed Shikharji, on Parasnath hill in Jharkhand, is regarded by both Digambara and Svetambara Jains as the most important tirtha, where twenty of the twenty-four tirthankaras are believed to have attained moksha. The full parikrama of the hill is about 27 km, and the round trip from Madhuban at the foot of the hill is much longer, so most pilgrims start in the early hours.

The nearest railway station is Parasnath, about 25 km from Madhuban, and the nearest airport is Deoghar, about three hours away by road. Many UK pilgrims fly to Kolkata or Patna and travel on by train or car. See flights to Kolkata.

Choosing your gateway

The usual airports for each tirtha.

When to go

The cool season from November to February is the best time for the climbs in Gujarat and Rajasthan. Remember that Palitana closes during the monsoon. Kartik Purnima, when Shatrunjaya reopens to pilgrims, is one of the busiest and most auspicious days of the year there.

Summer is very hot across western India, which makes the long climbs hard, especially for older pilgrims.

Food and staying in dharamshalas

Dharamshalas and bhojanshalas run by Jain trusts at the major tirthas offer simple, clean rooms and Jain food prepared without root vegetables, which makes travelling much easier for observant families. Book ahead for busy dates.

On flights, request a Jain meal when you book. Most international airlines offer one if it is ordered in advance, and we add the request for you.

Older pilgrims

The climbs at Palitana, Girnar and Shikharji are long. Dolis and porters, the Girnar ropeway and rest days between climbs make the yatra possible for many grandparents. See a doctor before travelling and book wheelchair assistance on the flights.

Our team speaks Gujarati, so elders can talk through the plan with us directly. See our page on assisted travel for elderly passengers.

Group and sangh yatras

If your derasar or family is planning a group yatra, we can hold seats on the same flights so everyone travels together, and arrange the domestic connections as one booking. Give us the dates and numbers early, especially for the winter season.

Shravanabelagola and the south

In Karnataka, Shravanabelagola is home to the great monolithic statue of Bahubali on Vindhyagiri hill, one of the most important Jain sites in the south, and the focus of the Mahamastakabhisheka ceremony held about every twelve years. It is a few hours by road from Bengaluru.

If your yatra includes the south, fly into Bengaluru, which has non-stop flights from Heathrow. See our flights to Bangalore page.

What to carry and wear

Simple, clean clothes are expected at the temples, and leather items such as belts and bags are not allowed inside many Jain temples, so pack a cloth bag. Shoes are left at the foot of the hill or the temple entrance.

For the early climbs, carry a torch, water and a light shawl, as mornings can be cool even when the days are hot. Many pilgrims observe fasting rules during the climb, so plan meals around the descent.

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