Guj: પાલીતાણા pālītāṇā
‘Sanctuary’ [Padliptpur] -Temple town, Gujarat.
From Padlipt and Skt: pura, ‘fort’, ‘city’; or pālita, ‘protected’ and ayana→ana, ‘place’, ‘abode’.
1,008 Jain temples sit in a cluster on top of Shatrunjaya Hill, a place where you can overcome you inner demons [Skt: śatrū, ‘enemies’; and jaya, ‘victory’, ‘conquest’].
Legend dates the name Palitana to the 2ndC Jain Acharya Padlipt Suri, although most of the temples here are 16thC.
The Palitana mountain is the most sacred pilgrimage site for Jains and is the world’s largest temple complex. All but one of the temples belong to the Svetambara sect who wear white.
For related place names see Indian Place names and Gujarat place names.
Group of temples, Palitana Amit Rawat