Map, Celebration and Virtual Experience
This Tirtha Pata shows one of the holiest Jain pilgrimage sites: the Shatrunjaya temples near the town of Palitana in Gujarat. This vast complex of temples straddles two hills. It is oldest and largest temple is dedicated to Adinatha, the first Jaina Tirthankar (teacher).
Many Jains hope to make a pilgrimage to Shatrunjaya at least once in their life. But for those who cannot not make the journey, monumental paintings such as these bring the tirtha (holy site) to the devotee, enabling them to make the pilgrimage in their imagination. This pilgrimage of the mind is called bhava -yatra. The image also makes the holy site ‘present’ in the local temple, connecting all Jaina places and all Jains.
A Closer Look
The painting is full of details to help the viewer on their inner contemplative journey. It shows the route from the town, the gates to temples, shrines, water tanks and resting stops along the way.
Route Map
The site is spread over two hill tops, with the main Adinatha temple shown on the top left. Shrines, idols and sacred footprints are highlighted in gold paint. The Shetrunji River runs down from the North-west corner and woodlands surround the base of the hills – both are teaming with a variety of animals: Jains believe that all life is scared.
The Pilgrimage Begins
The bottom right-hand corner shows the town of Palitina – inscriptions mark out homes and landmarks, including a school, orphanage, gardens and the tennis club.
In the left-hand corner people arrive to begin their pilgrimage, most on foot. One man is being driven in a motor car – which helps us date this as an early 20th century painting. In the same corner are two inscriptions that tell us more about the making of the painting. So we know that the Jaina community from Amalsad [a town in Gujarat] commissioned this pata for a donation of Rs.31,251,’ and that it was ‘painted by Govindlal Bhai of Palitana’
A Place to Pause
The site is spread over two hill tops, with the main Adinatha temple shown on the top left. Shrines, idols and sacred footprints are highlighted in gold paint. The Shetrunji River runs down from the North-west corner and woodlands surround the base of the hills – both are teaming with a variety of animals: Jains believe that all life is scared.
About Jainism
Jainism’s exact beginnings are hard to pinpoint. It is thought to have originated in Eastern India, well over 2500 years ago. It evolved over several centuries, through the teachings of twenty-four successive Jina or tirthankara. The last tirthankara, Mahavira, lived around 500 BCE and established many of the current practices of Jainism.
Jains aim to achieve purity of soul, so that it is freed from the body, from this life and from rebirth. Their goal is for the soul to attain moksha (liberation) and omniscience (all -knowingness). There are several methods of achieving this, such as mediation, puja, pilgrimage and studying texts.
The painted panel above, also from our collection, represents the Jaina practice of ahimsa: non-violence in the broadest sense. It shows a lion and cow drinking from the same well, beneath the Jaina hand symbol for ahimsa and the inscription ‘live and let live’. Jains avoid harming any living organisms, however small, they are vegetarian and abstain from environmentally damaging employment or actions. They also practise samyama (self-restraint). Monks and nuns follow highly ascetic lives, carrying out austerities such as lengthy fasting and meditations.
Find out more
If you would like to see more Jaina objects in our collection, check out our collections online website https://collection.thesouthasiacollection.com/