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boarding houses and resting places. On the road, everywhere holy Jinalayas' (temples of Jinas') are built, but the actual pilgrimage begins from the foot of the Palitana hill. The devotees become emotion-charged just as they set their feet at the foot-hill. Their hearts become grateful to the grace of God which has enabled them to get the best fortune of visiting this great pilgrimage.
Palitana pilgrimage may be in a sense, called the city of temples. With which other pilgrimage can this one be compared, where there are 8613 temples and nearly 33 thousand idols ? Really such a place is the pilgrimage of the pilgrimages; it is unique, beyond every comparison. Only Palitana itself can be cited in comparison to Palitana. In the entire world, this is the only mountain where there are so many temples.
At this pilgrimage adorning the mountain ranges, an unprecedented confluence of devotion and art has taken place It seems that the religious wealth of the gentlemen having faith in Jainism, has become vociferous in its absolute reverence and devotion. Among the nine Toonks built on the mountain, the Toonk of Motishah Seth, stands with the uncompartable splendour of temples. How very difficult it must have been to carry such gigantic stones through unapproachable mountains, but when devotion holds its sway then even the impossible deeds become possible.
Palitana is considered to be an eternal pilgrimage. It was here that thousands and lakhs of souls embraced
samadhi'-death and lit the Supreme Light of 'mahanirvana'. Of the 24 Tirthankars of Jains, 22 Tirthankars enhanced the glory of this pilgrimage by blessing it with their touch. Lord Rishabhdev visited this pilgrimage 99 times. This great journey performed by the first Tirthankar Shri Rishabhdev, is in itself an inspiration for the followers of Jainism. Even today thousands of devotees visit this pilgrimage 99 times which is called 'Navanu Yatra'. Due to special connection with Lord Aadinath, the solemnisation of the 'Varshee-tap' (penance performed for full one year) is also done by people here on 'Akshay Tritiya' or 'Aakhateej'. Every year thousands of 'Varshee-tap observers visit this pilgrimage and perform final rituals of this 'tap' (Penance) here.
'Tap' is the main feature of Jainism. 'Varshee-tap (one full year of penance) is considered to be the longest and the hardest. But, thousands of Jains every year observe this "tap'. In this 'tap' fasting is observed on one day and food is taken on the next day. This sequence continues for full one year. The 'parna' (concluding ritual of this "tap') is considered to be auspiciously important both at Hastinapur and Palitana.
Palitana is actually the modified present name of Padliptapur. Being unvanquished by the enemies it is also called 'Shatrunjaya' (Vanquisher of enemies). In the scriptures, mention has been made of a total 100 names of Shatrunjay pilgrimage, the prominent among those
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