Parasnath

Template:Short description Template:Jainism Template:Use Indian English Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox religious building Template:Infobox mountain Parasnath Hill (also Sammet Shikhar, Marang Buru) is a mountain peak in the Parasnath hill range. It is located towards the eastern end of the Chota Nagpur Plateau in the Giridih district (Hazaribagh district in British India) of the Indian state of Jharkhand, India. The hill is named after Parshvanatha, the 23rd Jain Tirthankara who got salvation here. In this connection, there is Jain pilgrimage Shikharji on the top of hill. The hill is also known as Sammet Shikhar (Template:Literally, the supreme deity) by other autochthonous of the region in religious contexts.

History

Historically parasnath or sammed shikharji is an ancient Jain pilgrimage site it is a place where the 23rd tirthankara Parshwanath(also known as Parasnath) attained salvation here in 772 BCE. It is noteworthy that the name of the Parasnath hill derived from the Jain Tirthankar Parshvanath who is also known as Parasnath or Parsva who attained salvation here during the 8th century BCE. After preaching for 70 years, Parshvanath attained moksha at Shikharji on Parasnath hill.Some jain texts name the place as Mount Sammeta.Template:Sfn It is revered in Jainism because 20 of its 24 tirthankars are believed to have attained moksha there.Template:SfnTemplate:SfnTemplate:Sfn at the age of 100 on Shravana Shukla Saptami according to Lunar Calendar.Template:Sfn His moksha (liberation from the cycle of birth and death) in Jain traditionTemplate:Sfn is celebrated as Moksha Saptami. This day is celebrated on large scale at Parasnath tonk of the mountain, in northern Jharkhand, part of the Parasnath RangeTemplate:Sfn by offering Nirvana Laddu (Sugar balls) and reciting of Nirvana Kanda. Parshvanatha has been called Template:Transliteration (beloved of the people) by Jains.Template:SfnTemplate:SfnTemplate:Sfn

The Santhal community use the name Marang Buru. They are in dispute with the Jain community as to certain ancestral worship and other rights, and these have been subject to judicial review historically. Recent bans on meat and alcohol, upheld by the Jharkhand High Court in 2025, have exacerbated the conflict, curtailing Santal traditions and fueling protests and counter-petitions in the court. However Jains claim that santhal claim is implausible and illogical and that actually parasnath is a jain pilgrimage since ancient times. They also believe that Jains and Adivasis have co-existed at Parasnath Hill since ancient times, and that when the tirthankaras sought nirvana there, Adivasis traditionally carried them to the summit, a practice that continues today. The earliest literary reference to Shikharji(Parasnath) as a tirth (place of pilgrimage) is found in the Jñātṛdhārmakātha, one of the twelve core texts of Jainism compiled in 6th century BCE by chief disciple of Mahavira. Shikharji is also mentioned in the Pārśvanāthacarita, a twelfth-century biography of Pārśva. A 13th century CE palm-leaf manuscript of Kalpa Sūtra and Kalakacaryakatha has an image of a scene of Parshavanatha's nirvana at Shikharji.Template:Sfn This all indicates Parasnath was a jain site since ancient times. Also many historians accept parasnath as the place of Moksh kalyanak(during 772 BCE) of the historical figure Tirthankar Parshvanath .Template:SfnTemplate:SfnTemplate:SfnTemplate:Sfn

Geography

At Template:Cvt Parasnath is the highest mountain peak in the state of Jharkhand, and is theoretically inter-visible (by direct line of sight on a perfectly clear day) with Mount Everest over Template:Cvt away.

There is a beautiful Jain temple on the mountain peak known as "Svarna Bhadra koot " ("cottage of golden grace"). The temple is made of marble.There is another marble jain temple on hill known as Jal Mandir.

It is easily accessible from Parasnath railway station.

File:Shikharji Parasnath Giridih.jpg

Shikharji Parasnath Giridih

Religious heritage

Jainism

This is one of the most holy and revered sites for the Jain community. They call it Sammed Sikhar. It is a major pilgrimage site. Out of 24 Tirthankaras of Jains, 20 got nirvana on Parshvnatha Hills.

On the mountain, there are the Shikharji Jain temples, an important tirthakshetra or Jain pilgrimage site. For each Tirthankara there is a shrine (gumti or Tonk) on the hill.

The Jain temple is believed to be constructed either by the Magadha King Bimbisara or by the Kalinga King Avakinnayo Karakandu.

An ancient idol of Lord Parasnath is located in the valley at Palganj. The idol is believed to be 2500 years old.

During 772 BCE at the age of 100 on Shravana Shukla Saptami according to Lunar Calendar.Template:Sfn Tirthankar Parswanath moksha (liberation from the cycle of birth and death) in Jaina traditionTemplate:Sfn is celebrated as Moksha Saptami. This day is celebrated on large scale at Parasnath tonk of the mountain, in northern Jharkhand, part of the Parasnath RangeTemplate:Sfn by offering Nirvana Laddu (Sugar balls) and reciting of Nirvana Kanda.

See also

• Shwetambar temple of Lord Parshwanath at foothills of Parasnath hill
  Shwetambar temple of Lord Parshwanath at foothills of Parasnath hill
• charan paduka of lord parasnath
  charan paduka of lord parasnath
• "Swarna Bhadra Koot"Temple of lord parasnath on mountain peak
  "Swarna Bhadra Koot"Temple of lord parasnath on mountain peak
• Notice board on mountain
  Notice board on mountain
• waterfall on hill
  waterfall on hill
• "Jal Mandir"A Jain temple over hill
  "Jal Mandir"A Jain temple over hill
• Temples in valley
  Temples in valley
• deity of lord pushpadant
  deity of lord pushpadant

• List of mountains in India
• List of mountains by elevation
• Shikharji movement