Shatrunjaya pata
Painted on cotton cloths, Shatrunjaya patas map the physical and divine characteristics of the sacred hill in Palitana, Gujarat
Jainism
Maps of devotion – The Jain art of Shatrunjaya pata
Painted on cotton and imbued with piety, Shatrunjaya patas map the physical and divine characteristics of the sacred hill in Palitana, Gujarat
Work & worship – Goddesses of learning and living
The road to learning—and earning—is guided by these benevolent goddesses
A General view of Palitana
Built on Mount Shatrunjaya in the town of Palitana, these 863 temples receive millions of visitors each year. Of the 24 Tirthankaras in Jainism, 23 have visited this holy site. The first Tirthankara, Adinath is believed to have preached his first sermon here. The town was ruled by the Gohil family who have ruled parts… Read more »
Lokapurusha
The Lokapurusha is the man who symbolises the universe in Jain cosmology. He appears in Jain cosmograms, like the one above, and the worlds of the gods, humans and the damned are mapped on his body. Urdhva Loka, the world of gods, is situated on his upper torso and dotted with images of shrines. Manushya… Read more »
Mahavir in marble – Stunning 19th-Century Photographs of the Jain Temples of Palitana
Every March-April, pilgrims make their way to Palitana to observe Mahavir Jayanti. It’s a solemn festival observed in the most ornately decorated temple town you will ever see