Tirtha Atlas

The sacred geography of the Indic world — every site mapped, dated, storied, and cited.

3031 sites15 countries4 traditions30 centuries
High medieval · Jain · India

Jain Temples, Pavagadh

Pavagadh Hill, Panchmahal district, Gujarat · 22.4847°, 73.5339°

Rishabhanatha, Parshvanatha, Chandraprabha and SuparshvanathaVaghela era; patron Vastupala
Sacred since
1200 CE
first attestation / structure
Standing structure
13th c.
Vaghela era; patron Vastupala

History & significance

A group of Jain temples on Pavagadh Hill, mostly of the thirteenth century and associated with Vastupala, minister of the Vaghela rulers. Originally Shvetambara foundations, they later passed to the Digambara community, and the hill's Jain associations are traced back in tradition to an image installed by King Samprati.

Sthala katha — the traditional account

What follows is the temple’s own traditional account, transmitted through liturgy and local memory. It is recorded here as tradition, not as attested history.

The Achalgacch order is said to have begun here when the demi-goddess Mahakali appeared before Acharya Aryarakshitsuri as he climbed the hill to undertake sallekhana and asked him not to proceed.

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Sources

coordinates: wikipedia-2026-08-28 · sources retrieved 2026-08-26 · dynasty page: Vaghela era; patron Vastupala