Faith and charity in Indian temple town
January 10, 2010
Palitana is a sleepy town in the western Indian state of Gujarat. Perched high on a hill overlooking the town is a network of 1,500 exquisite temples.
For followers of the Jain faith this is a place of major significance.
It is the world's highest concentration of Jain temples - they are packed in dense clusters to enable barefoot pilgrims to move around easily.
Every year more than half a million Jain pilgrims (of approximately 10 million Jains worldwide) make the journey to the stone and marble shrines at Palitana.
Non-violence and compassion towards every living being is at the core of Jain belief.
And this year their spiritual quest in Palitana has manifested itself in a project which will help some of India's 20 million people with disabilities.
A group of Jains has set up a vast medical camp in the town for people with disabilities.
For followers of the Jain faith this is a place of major significance.
It is the world's highest concentration of Jain temples - they are packed in dense clusters to enable barefoot pilgrims to move around easily.
Every year more than half a million Jain pilgrims (of approximately 10 million Jains worldwide) make the journey to the stone and marble shrines at Palitana.
Non-violence and compassion towards every living being is at the core of Jain belief.
And this year their spiritual quest in Palitana has manifested itself in a project which will help some of India's 20 million people with disabilities.
A group of Jains has set up a vast medical camp in the town for people with disabilities.
