Patan's chief derasar
Among the dozens of Jain temples that grace Patan, the Shri Panchasara Parshwanath temple is the most important and revered — a grand, gleaming marble derasar dedicated to Bhagwan Parshwanath, the 23rd Tirthankara. Patan has been a major centre of Jainism for over a thousand years, and Panchasara stands at the heart of this living tradition.
The temple is renowned for its beautifully carved marble, ornate pillars, painted and gilded ceilings, and serene sanctum, reflecting both the wealth and the devotion of Patan’s Jain community across the centuries. As an active place of worship, it comes alive during Jain festivals such as Paryushan, when devotees gather in large numbers.
For visitors, Panchasara is not only a spiritual centre but also a superb example of Gujarati Jain temple art and architecture — a tranquil, ornate sanctuary in the heart of the old capital. (An active Jain temple; observe customs — modest dress, remove shoes and leather.)
The Panchasara Parshwanath temple.
Patan's chief derasar, in marble
Carved marble of the derasar.
Patan has been a Jain stronghold for over a thousand years, since its days as Anhilwad, the Solanki capital.
The Panchasara Parshwanath derasar was built as the community's chief temple, and rebuilt over the centuries as the town's fortunes turned.
Carved marble pillars, painted ceilings and gilded detail accumulated through those rebuildings.
It remains Patan's foremost living Jain temple, at the heart of one of Gujarat's oldest Jain communities.
Reasons to make the time
Patan's chief temple
This is the principal derasar of Patan — the chief temple of a community with a millennium of history in the town.
Parshwanath shrine
It is dedicated to Parshwanath, the twenty-third Tirthankara, whose image is the temple's heart.
Carved marble
The marble pillars are carved through, in the manner Gujarat's Jain temples made their own.
Gilded ceilings
Ceilings are painted and gilded, and looking up rewards you as much as looking ahead.
Living devotion
It is an active temple with daily worship, not a monument — the atmosphere is devotional, not curatorial.
Paryushan
Paryushan, the great Jain festival of forgiveness, is when the temple is at its fullest.
What to look for inside
THE TEMPLEPanchasara
The marble derasar at the heart of Jain Patan.
THE ARTCarved marble
Pillars and painted, gilded ceilings throughout the halls.
How to spend an hour or two
Take darshan
Take darshan of Parshwanath, the temple's presiding Tirthankara.
Admire the marble
Study the carved pillars, worked in the full Gujarati Jain manner.
Study the ceilings
Look up at the painted and gilded ceilings, which most visitors walk under without noticing.
Sense the devotion
Feel it as a living shrine — worship runs daily and the community treats the temple as its centre.
Visit at Paryushan
Come during Paryushan if your dates allow, when the temple is at its devotional peak.
Respect the customs
Observe the forms: modest dress, shoes and leather off, and quiet during worship.
Inside the Jain derasar.
Marble, pillars and ceilings
Panchasara Parshwanath is a grand marble Jain derasar: a serene sanctum enshrining Bhagwan Parshwanath, set amid carved marble pillars, ornate mandapas and painted, gilded ceilings in the rich Gujarati Jain idiom.
The foremost of Patan’s many temples, it expresses a thousand years of the town’s Jain wealth and devotion, and is at its most vivid during festivals like Paryushan. (An active Jain temple; observe customs.)
More places to visit across the district are gathered in our Patan travel guide.
Grand marble derasar
Parshwanath sanctum
Carved marble pillars
Painted, gilded ceilings
When to go
October to March is the comfortable season in Patan, and mornings are the temple's calm hours.
The monsoon greens north Gujarat and the temple is indoors; the season matters little here.
April to June is hot; do the temple early and Rani ki Vav after, while shade still helps.
⏰ Visit in the calm of morning; dress modestly, remove shoes and leather, and be quiet during worship.
Timings & entry
- Open daily for darshan
- Mornings are calm
- Busiest at Paryushan
- An active Jain temple
- No entry fee for darshan
- Dress modestly
- Remove shoes and leather items
- Photography may be limited
Getting there
By Air
Ahmedabad airport (~125 km).
By Rail
Patan station.
By Road
In Patan town.
At Panchasara
MARBLE & GOLD
A grand Jain derasar
What to shoot
The marble temple, where photography is allowed.
Detail
The carved pillars of the halls.
Respect
Avoid photographing the inner sanctum.
Best light
Soft morning light through the halls.
Know before you go
More to see close by
ANCIENT TANKSahastralinga Talav
A vast Solanki-era reservoir of a thousand shrines
STEPWELLRegional Vavs
Carved stepwells scattered across the district
HERITAGEHemchandracharya Library
A treasury of ancient Jain manuscripts
WATER ARTForgotten Vavs
Carved stepwells the tour buses miss
HISTORYPatan City Anhilwad
Traces of the great Solanki capital
UNESCORani ki Vav
The 11th-century ‘Queen’s Stepwell’ & its 800+ carvings
Where to eat near Panchasara Parshwanath
THALIGujarati Thali
Sweet-savoury full meals.
FARSANDhokla & fafda
Steamed and fried snacks.
STREETChaat & snacks
Simple market-town fare.
Pure-veg town
Classic North Gujarat veg; Mehsana's milk sweets near.
Panchasara Parshwanath FAQ
What is Panchasara Parshwanath?
Patan's foremost Jain temple — a marble derasar dedicated to Bhagwan Parshwanath, the twenty-third Tirthankara, at the heart of the town's ancient Jain quarter.
Why is it important?
It is the spiritual centre of Patan's Jain community, which has been established in the town for over a thousand years, since the city was the Solanki capital.
What's it known for?
Its carved marble, ornate pillars and painted, gilded ceilings — the full vocabulary of the Gujarati Jain temple, maintained by an active congregation.
Is there an entry fee?
No, darshan is free. It is a working temple rather than a ticketed monument.
When is it busiest?
During Jain festivals, above all Paryushan, when the temple and the whole quarter around it are at their devotional peak.
What customs apply?
Dress modestly, remove shoes and leather items at the entrance, keep quiet during worship, and ask before photographing.
Where is it?
In Patan town, near the Hemchandracharya Gyan Mandir and within easy reach of Rani ki Vav.
When should I visit?
October to March, in the morning, folded into a Patan day with the stepwell and the patola workshops.
Related places across Gujarat
HERITAGESayla
An old town of saints & havelis
FORESTIqbalgarh
Quiet woodlands & hill trails
FAMILYKankaria Lake
Lakefront with zoo, toy train & balloon
Siddhnath Mahadev
An old lakeside Shiva temple
BIRDSPorbandar Bird Sanctuary
A central wetland alive with migratory birds
Jama Masjid, Uparkot
A pillared mosque within the old fort
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Published 24 June 2026 · Updated 24 August 2026