East India · Jharkhand
Shikharji, Jharkhand
Sources: wikimedia
Before you go
The holiest Jain tirtha; the pre-dawn hill circuit takes most of a day (dolis available). Strictly vegetarian zone.
About Shikharji
- Hills
- Forest
Where it is
Shikharji is the Jain name for Parasnath hill in Giridih district of Jharkhand, a forested ridge rising from the Chota Nagpur plateau above the temple town of Madhuban.
History
Jains believe that twenty of the twenty-four tirthankaras, including Parshvanatha, after whom the hill is named, attained moksha on its summit ridges, each marked by a small shrine called a tonk. In 1583 the Mughal emperor Akbar issued a decree entrusting the hill to the Jain community, and later the Jagat Seth family and Jain trusts built and restored its temples.
People
The villages around Parasnath are home to Santhal and other adivasi communities, who speak Santali, Khortha and Hindi and revere the hill as Marang Buru, while Madhuban's Jain temples and dharamshalas host pilgrims from across India. Doli bearers from local villages carry many pilgrims round the circuit.
Known for
- The 27 km pilgrimage circuit of the tonks
- The Parshvanatha tonk on the summit
- The temples and dharamshalas of Madhuban
- Forest views over the Chota Nagpur plateau
Did you know?
At about 1,350 m, Parasnath hill is the highest peak in Jharkhand.
Shrines and sites
- Parasnath hill
- Madhuban temple town at the base
- Bhomiyaji temple
Traditions
- Jain
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.