Jainism is one of the ancient religion from India and around 0.37% of the population in India are Jains. There are around 4 – 6 million followers of Jainism. Jainism is divided into two parts Digamber and Shwetamber. Today on the occasion of Mahaveer Janm Kalyanak Mahotsav, we will look on some of the must-visit holy places for Jains.
1. Sammed Shikharji (Madhuban)
Sammed Shikharji is a Siddha Kshetra located in Giridh district of Jharkhand. It is the holiest place for Jainism because it is the place of salvation for twenty out of twenty-four Jain Teerthankars and infinite no. of saints. The nearest railway station is Parasnath which is 25 km away from Shikharji in Delhi – Howrah route where all major trains halts and the nearest airport is in Ranchi which is 184 km and approximately 4 hours drive from Shikharji.
2. Girnar ji
Girnarji is a Siddha Kshetra located in Junagadh district of state Gujarat. Girnarji is the place of pilgrimage as 22nd Teerthankar Lord Neminath achieved salvation along with 72 crores 700 Saints. Girnarji is only 6 km from Junagadh and it is the nearest railway station for reaching Girnarji. The nearest airport is in Rajkot which is 100 km from here.
3. Pawapuri Ji
Pawapuri is a Siddha Kshetra located in Nalanda district of State Bihar. Lord Mahaveer Swami, the last of the twenty-four Teerthankars of Jainism has achieved salvation here. There is a beautiful Jal Mandir, one of the five main temples where Charan Paduka of Lord Mahaveer located. Pawapuri is also known as Apawapuri. Major railway station from Pawapuri is Patna which is approximately 85 km and Gaya which is also approximately 83 km. The nearest airport from Pawapuri also lies in these two cities.
4. Champapur Ji
Champapur is a Siddha Kshetra located in Bhagalpur district of State Bihar. It is a place of salvation of 12th Teerthankar Lord Vasupujya Swami. Champapur is the only Panch Kalyanak Kshetra in the world. It is related to Panch Kalyanak ‘Garbha, Janm, Tap, Gyan and Moksha’ of Lord Vasupujya. The nearest railway station is in Bhagalpur which is just 3.5 km from here. Major and nearby airport from here is Patna Airport which is 236 km from Champapur.
5. Shravanabelagola (Gomteshwara)
Shravanabelagola also was known as Gomteshwara is situated in Hassan District of Karnataka. This is one of the most important tirths in Jain religion. Here is the statue of Lord Bahubali son of 1st Teerthankar Lord Rishabdev also known as Lord Adinath. The 57 feet (17 m) monolith statue of Lord Bahubali is located on Vindyagiri Hill. It is world’s largest monolithic stone statue. Every twelve years, thousands of devotees congregate here to perform the Mahamastakabhisheka, a spectacular ceremony in which the statue is anointed with Water, Turmeric, etc. Shravanabelagola has its own railway station and is well connected to all major cities of Karnataka. Shravanabelagola is 84 km from Mysore around 1 hour 45 minutes drive by road and 157 km from Bengaluru which is around 3 hours 30 minutes drive. The nearest airport is located in Bengaluru.
