The Palitana State of Kathiawar

Palitana state, also known as the princely state of Palitana or Palitana Riyasat, was a princely state of the Kathiawar region of Saurashtra, in present-day Gujarat, ruled by a Gohil Rajput house from its capital at the town of Palitana. The state is renowned above all as the gateway to the great Jain temple-city that crowns the sacred hill of Shatrunjaya, among the most revered pilgrimage places of the Jain faith, which rises close to the town. Set among the many small states of the Kathiawar peninsula, Palitana was ruled by a dynasty of the Gohil branch of the Rajputs, and this account keeps to broadly established history where particular dates and details are uncertain.

Key Takeaways

• Palitana state was a princely state of the Kathiawar region of Saurashtra, in present-day Gujarat.
• It was ruled by a Gohil Rajput house from its capital at the town of Palitana.
• The state is renowned as the gateway to the great Jain temple-city on the sacred hill of Shatrunjaya.
• Shatrunjaya is traditionally regarded as among the most revered pilgrimage places of the Jain faith.
• Palitana lay among the many small princely states of the Kathiawar peninsula.
• Palitana acceded to the Indian Union after independence in 1947.

Read on for the history, culture, and legacy in detail.

Quick Facts

Who Ruled the Palitana State?

Palitana state was ruled by a Gohil Rajput house, a dynasty of the Gohil clan of Rajputs that governed the state from its capital at the town of Palitana in the Kathiawar region of Saurashtra. The Gohils were among the Rajput clans that established small principalities across the Kathiawar peninsula, and the ruling house of Palitana belonged to this wider branch of the Rajput community. Governing from Palitana, the rulers presided over a state whose fame rested above all on its guardianship of the approach to the sacred Jain hill of Shatrunjaya. The dynasty is traditionally associated with the martial customs and traditions of the Rajput houses of the region. As the ruling house of a state of particular religious importance, the Gohils of Palitana held a distinctive place among the princely states of Kathiawar. Their long rule gave the state its character and its lasting association with the Jain pilgrimage, within the broader history of Gujarat.

Where Is Palitana Located?

Palitana is located in the Kathiawar region, also known as Saurashtra, the broad peninsula that forms part of present-day Gujarat in western India. The town of Palitana, which gave the state its name, lies in the country at the foot of the hill of Shatrunjaya, amid the plains and low ranges of the peninsula. The position of Palitana placed it among the many small princely states that shared the Kathiawar peninsula, within reach of the Gulf of Khambhat and the wider region of Gujarat. The setting of the town, close to the sacred hill, is central to its identity and to the pilgrimage for which it is renowned. The terrain of the region, with its plains, hills and nearby coast, shaped the life and economy of the state. Palitana’s location in the Saurashtra country of Gujarat is central to understanding its place among the princely states of Kathiawar and its role as the gateway to Shatrunjaya.

Who Were the Gohil Rajputs of Palitana?

The Gohil Rajputs were the clan from which the ruling house of Palitana sprang, one of the Rajput lineages that established principalities across the Kathiawar peninsula of Saurashtra. The Gohils are traditionally counted among the Rajput clans that migrated into and settled in the Saurashtra country, where several branches founded states of their own. The ruling house of Palitana belonged to this clan and upheld the customs, martial traditions and heritage of the Rajput houses of the region. As Rajputs, the rulers were part of the wider community of warrior-aristocratic lineages that shaped much of the history of western and northern India. The Gohil heritage gave the ruling house of Palitana its proud lineage and its place among the kindred Rajput states of Kathiawar. This ancestry connected the state to the broader traditions of the Rajputs. The Gohil Rajput identity forms the ancestral foundation of the ruling house of Palitana in Saurashtra.

How Did Palitana State Originate?

Palitana state originated as one of the Gohil Rajput principalities that took shape in the Kathiawar region of Saurashtra, when the clan established its rule over the country around the town of Palitana at the foot of Shatrunjaya. According to the traditions of the region, the Gohil house carved out its territory amid the many small states of the peninsula, making Palitana its seat and becoming closely associated with the sacred hill that rose nearby. The precise details of the early history of the state are drawn from the traditions and genealogies of the Kathiawar houses and are treated by historians with appropriate caution. What is broadly clear is that the dynasty established an enduring principality with a special connection to the Jain pilgrimage of Shatrunjaya. The origin of Palitana connects it to the shared heritage of the Gohil Rajputs. The state thus took shape as a Rajput principality of Saurashtra, distinguished by its guardianship of the sacred hill.

Why Is Palitana the Gateway to Shatrunjaya?

Palitana is called the gateway to Shatrunjaya because the town stands at the foot of the sacred hill, serving as the point of approach for pilgrims who climb to the great Jain temple-city that crowns its summit. The hill of Shatrunjaya is traditionally revered as one of the holiest pilgrimage places of the Jain faith, and the town of Palitana, as its gateway, became closely bound to the pilgrimage and to the life of the devotees who gather there. The ruling house of the state was associated with the guardianship and administration of the approach to the hill. This role gave Palitana a special religious importance among the states of Kathiawar, setting it apart from its neighbours. The reverence in which Shatrunjaya is held by Jain devotees made the town a place of enduring spiritual significance. The identity of Palitana as the gateway to Shatrunjaya remains the most distinctive feature of the state and its heritage.

What Are the Jain Temples of Shatrunjaya?

The Jain temples of Shatrunjaya form a great temple-city that crowns the sacred hill rising near the town of Palitana, traditionally revered as one of the most important pilgrimage places of the Jain faith. The summit of the hill is adorned with a remarkable concentration of temples and shrines, built and maintained over the centuries by Jain communities and devotees, which together form an extraordinary ensemble of sacred architecture. Pilgrims traditionally ascend the hill with deep devotion to worship at these temples, which are held in the highest reverence by the Jain faithful. The temples are admired for their carved ornament, their setting upon the hill and their spiritual significance to those who visit them. As the gateway to this temple-city, the town of Palitana is inseparably linked to the pilgrimage. The temples of Shatrunjaya are treated here with reverence as a living place of Jain devotion, and are among the most cherished sacred sites associated with the state.

What Were the Princely States of Kathiawar?

The princely states of Kathiawar were a large number of principalities, great and small, that shared the peninsula of Saurashtra in western India, among which Palitana was one. The Kathiawar peninsula was notable for the sheer number of its states, which ranged from larger and more prominent houses to many very small chiefships, ruled by a variety of Rajput and other lineages. These states were grouped for administrative purposes under the arrangements of the paramount power during the colonial period. Palitana, as a Gohil Rajput state, took its place among this crowded landscape of principalities, distinguished by its special connection to the Jain pilgrimage of Shatrunjaya. The patchwork of Kathiawar states is a distinctive feature of the history of Saurashtra. Understanding this crowded political landscape is central to placing Palitana among its neighbours. The princely states of Kathiawar, including Palitana, formed one of the most intricate groupings of states anywhere in the subcontinent.

What Was the Capital Town of Palitana Like?

The capital town of Palitana, which gave the state its name, lay at the foot of the sacred hill of Shatrunjaya and served as the seat of the Gohil Rajput ruling house. The town was the political, administrative and ceremonial centre of the state, while also serving as the gathering place and gateway for the pilgrims who came to ascend the hill. The town was shaped by its dual character as a princely seat and a centre of Jain pilgrimage, with the comings and goings of devotees forming a central part of its life. As the capital of a state of particular religious importance, Palitana had a distinctive character among the towns of Kathiawar. The town was a centre of court life and administration, as well as of the pilgrimage economy. Its heritage reflected both the status of the ruling house and its association with the sacred hill. The town of Palitana remains the enduring centre of the state’s heritage and of the pilgrimage to Shatrunjaya.

What Was the Religion and Culture of Palitana?

The religion and culture of Palitana were shaped by the Hindu Rajput traditions of its ruling house and, above all, by the state’s close association with the Jain pilgrimage to Shatrunjaya. The Gohil ruling house observed the customs and faith of the Rajput community, while the state as a whole was deeply marked by the presence of the great Jain temple-city on the nearby hill, which drew devotees and sustained a rich tradition of pilgrimage. The culture of Palitana thus brought together the heritage of a Rajput princely house with the devotional life of one of the foremost pilgrimage centres of the Jain faith. This combination gave the state a distinctive religious character among the princely states of Kathiawar. The reverence surrounding Shatrunjaya was woven into the identity of the town and the state. The religious and cultural life of Palitana reflected both the traditions of its rulers and the sacred importance of the hill it guarded.

How Did Pilgrimage Shape the State?

Pilgrimage shaped the state of Palitana profoundly, for the town’s role as the gateway to the sacred hill of Shatrunjaya was central to its identity, its economy and its place among the princely states of Kathiawar. The steady arrival of pilgrims who came to ascend the hill and worship at the great Jain temple-city sustained a distinctive life around the town, from the care of the routes and resting places to the support of those who served the pilgrimage. The ruling house was associated with the guardianship of the approach to the hill, which gave the state a religious importance beyond its size. This pilgrimage traffic made Palitana a place of gathering and devotion as much as a princely seat. The life of the town was bound to the rhythms of the pilgrimage. The role of pilgrimage in shaping Palitana is among the most distinctive features of its history, setting it apart from the many other small states of the peninsula.

How Was Palitana Governed?

Palitana was governed by its Gohil Rajput ruling house through a system that combined the authority of the ruler with the service of ministers, officials and local notables who managed the affairs of the state. At the head stood the ruler, supported by officers responsible for revenue, justice and the general administration of the territory, as was common among the princely states. The state comprised the capital town and the surrounding country at the foot of Shatrunjaya, together with the arrangements that governed the approach to the sacred hill. Revenue came from the land and from the activity associated with the pilgrimage, in keeping with the character of the state. Within the framework of the paramountcy exercised over the Kathiawar states, the administration of Palitana developed over time. This system of governance allowed the dynasty to maintain its rule and its role as guardian of the gateway to Shatrunjaya. The administration of Palitana reflected the traditions of a small but distinctive princely state of Saurashtra.

What Were Palitana's Relations with the Great Powers?

Palitana, as one of the princely states of Kathiawar, engaged over its history with the greater powers that held sway over Saurashtra and western India, including regional powers and later the British paramountcy. As British authority extended over the region, the ruling house of Palitana, like the other Kathiawar states, came within the arrangements through which the paramount power managed the many principalities of the peninsula. These arrangements recognised the rule of the dynasty over its territory while acknowledging the overarching authority of the paramount power. Matters touching the pilgrimage to Shatrunjaya and the administration of the sacred hill were of particular importance in the dealings of the state. The rulers of Palitana managed their relations to safeguard the interests and the special religious role of the state. Through such dealings, the dynasty maintained its place among the princely states of Kathiawar. The relations of Palitana with the great powers form an important strand in its history within Saurashtra.

How Did Palitana Become a Princely State under the British?

Palitana became a princely state under the British within the framework of paramountcy that took shape over the Kathiawar peninsula during the colonial period. As British power extended over Saurashtra, the ruling house of Palitana, like the many other states of the region, came within the arrangements through which the paramount power managed and grouped the principalities of Kathiawar. Under this system Palitana retained its own ruler, administration and internal governance, while the paramount power exercised overarching authority. This status allowed the Gohil Rajput dynasty to continue governing its territory and fulfilling its role as the gateway to Shatrunjaya under the paramountcy of the British crown. The princely-state framework shaped the modern history of Palitana until the independence of India. Within this arrangement the state preserved its distinctive religious importance and its heritage. The standing of Palitana as a princely state of Kathiawar is an important part of its story in the period before independence.

How Did Palitana Join Independent India?

Palitana, like the other princely states, acceded to the Indian Union after the independence of India in 1947, when the states were integrated into the new nation. With the end of British paramountcy, the rulers of the princely states joined India, and their territories were brought into the republic through the great process of integration that reshaped the political map of the subcontinent. Palitana, as one of the many states of Kathiawar, was joined with its neighbouring states in the union that reorganised Saurashtra and, in time, the wider region of Gujarat. This transition ended the era of Palitana as a separately governed principality, though the pilgrimage to Shatrunjaya and the heritage of the town continued. The integration of the states was one of the defining achievements of the early years of independent India. Palitana thus became part of the modern nation and of the reorganised structure of Gujarat, bringing to a close its long history as a princely state of Kathiawar.

What Is the Legacy of Palitana State?

The legacy of Palitana state rests above all on its enduring association with the great Jain temple-city on the sacred hill of Shatrunjaya, for which the town remains the gateway. The memory of the Gohil Rajput ruling house, the heritage of the town and the continuing pilgrimage to the hill together form the lasting inheritance of the state. Palitana contributed to the history of Kathiawar the example of a small princely state whose importance far exceeded its size, by virtue of its guardianship of one of the foremost pilgrimage places of the Jain faith. The reverence in which Shatrunjaya is held keeps the name of Palitana alive among devotees and visitors alike. The legacy of the state endures in the pilgrimage, the heritage of the town and the memory of its ruling house. For readers of Indian history, Palitana offers a vivid example of the intertwining of princely rule and sacred pilgrimage in the Saurashtra country of Gujarat.

Palitana Today

Palitana is remembered today chiefly as the gateway to the great Jain temple-city on the sacred hill of Shatrunjaya, which continues to draw pilgrims and visitors from far and wide. The town, the sacred hill and the temples that crown it remain at the heart of the identity of Palitana, preserving its long association with the Jain pilgrimage. The former ruling family retains its historical connection with the state and its heritage. The traditions of pilgrimage, reverently observed, continue to shape the life of the town, which has grown as a centre of devotion and of the region. For readers of Indian history, Palitana offers a vivid example of a small Gohil Rajput princely state of Kathiawar whose fame rests on its guardianship of a sacred hill. Its legacy endures in the temple-city of Shatrunjaya, the heritage of the town and the proud Rajput lineage of its ruling house in the Saurashtra country of Gujarat.

Sources & Further Reading

• Archaeological Survey of India (asi.nic.in).
• Ministry of Culture, Government of India (indiaculture.gov.in).
• Tourism Corporation of Gujarat (gujarattourism.com).

Frequently Asked Questions

What was Palitana state?

Palitana state was a princely state of the Kathiawar region of Saurashtra, in present-day Gujarat, ruled by a Gohil Rajput house from its capital at the town of Palitana. It is renowned as the gateway to the great Jain temple-city on the sacred hill of Shatrunjaya, a revered Jain pilgrimage place.

Who ruled Palitana state?

Palitana state was ruled by a Gohil Rajput house, a dynasty of the Gohil clan of Rajputs that governed from the town of Palitana. The Gohils were among the Rajput clans that established principalities across the Kathiawar peninsula of Saurashtra.

Why is Palitana famous for Jain temples?

Palitana is famous for the Jain temples because the town stands at the foot of the sacred hill of Shatrunjaya, which is crowned by a great temple-city traditionally revered as one of the holiest pilgrimage places of the Jain faith. The town serves as the gateway for pilgrims ascending the hill.

Where is Palitana located?

Palitana is located in the Kathiawar region, also known as Saurashtra, which forms part of present-day Gujarat in western India. The town lies at the foot of the hill of Shatrunjaya, among the many small princely states that once shared the peninsula.

What happened to Palitana after independence?

Palitana acceded to the Indian Union after independence in 1947 and was joined with its neighbouring states in the union that reorganised Saurashtra and, in time, the wider region of Gujarat. This ended its era as a separately governed principality, though the pilgrimage to Shatrunjaya continued.

What is Shatrunjaya hill?

Shatrunjaya is a sacred hill near the town of Palitana, crowned by a great concentration of Jain temples that together form a revered temple-city. It is traditionally regarded as among the most important pilgrimage places of the Jain faith, and Palitana serves as its gateway.