Parasnath (Shikharji): Jainism’s Holiest Hill

Parasnath Hill stands in the Giridih district of Jharkhand. A heritage-centre page gives its height as 1,350 metres. The 1933 Privy Council judgment says nearly 4,500 feet. So say “about 1,350 metres” and do not claim a more exact figure.

Which names belong to which community?

Jains call the hill Shikharji. They also call it Sammed Shikhar. The hill is named Parasnath after Parshvanatha, the 23rd Tirthankara. Santals call the same hill Marang Buru, the hill deity.

Is it really the highest peak in Jharkhand?

You will often read this claim. The sources we opened do not say it. One heritage page calls it the highest peak south of the Himalayas. So treat both claims with care and do not repeat them as facts.

Jain belief is that 20 of the 24 Tirthankaras attained liberation on this hill. A Tirthankara is a great teacher who shows the path to liberation. The liberation, called moksha, ends the cycle of birth and death.

Is the number 20 certain?

No. A heritage page notes that another version says nine Tirthankaras attained salvation here. Twenty is the number most pilgrims know.

Who is the hill named after?

The hill takes its name from Parshvanatha, the 23rd Tirthankara. Jains also call the hill Sammed Shikhar. Both Digambara and Shwetambara Jains worship here. In 1933 the Privy Council heard a case between the two sects over this hill.

A tonk is a small shrine, often open on one side. Most hold a pair of carved footprints, called charan, instead of an image. They mark the places where Tirthankaras are believed to have attained liberation.

How many are there?

Counts differ by source. The 1933 Privy Council judgment speaks of 24 shrines, or tonks, that pilgrims visit in order. A newspaper feature says footprints of 24 Tirthankaras and ten Ganadhars are installed. So do not quote one exact number without naming its source.

Who is a Ganadhar?

A Ganadhar is a chief disciple of a Tirthankara. The first tonk on the trail honours Ganadhar Gautam Swami.

What is the Jal Mandir?

The Jal Mandir is a temple in one of the highest parts of the hill. The 1933 judgment names it among the buildings on the hill. Today it is a white marble temple.

Pilgrims start at Madhuban, a small town at the foot of the hill. The path runs through the Madhuban forest. The stretch from the Gandharva Nala stream to the summit is the most sacred part.

How long is the walk?

Be careful with the numbers. A newspaper feature gives a round trip of 27 kilometres through the Madhuban forest. Another page gives a round trip of 30 kilometres. So 27 kilometres is the whole round trip. It is not the climb alone.

What is the parikrama?

The parikrama is a walk around the whole hill. Heritage and newspaper pages give its length as 54 kilometres. The path runs through forest and is for walkers only.

Can pilgrims be carried?

Yes. On the main path, a doliwallah can carry a pilgrim in a litter, called a doli. The path is concrete paved.

The hill was once the property of a local ruler, the Raja of Palgunj. His rights became the subject of several cases.

What happened in 1918?

On 9 March 1918 the Shwetambara Jains bought the Raja’s proprietary rights over the hill by a sale deed. This made the Shwetambara side the owner in law.

What did the Privy Council decide in 1933?

In 1933 the Privy Council decided Hukum Chand v Maharaj Bahadur Singh. This was a case between Digambar and Shwetambar Jains. It largely upheld the High Court. It confirmed Shwetambar ownership rights. It protected the Digambar right to worship.

What does the same case say about the Santals?

The case records a suit of 1910. That suit dealt with the custom of Santal hunting on the hill. So the Santal claim is not new. It is recorded in law more than a century ago.

For Santals the hill is Marang Buru, their hill deity. Santals live mainly in Jharkhand, Odisha and West Bengal.

What is the Baisakh hunt?

News reports describe a hunting festival on the full moon day in Baisakh, in mid-April. One report calls it a three-day festival. Santal groups say it is part of their old custom.

Is the hunt only symbolic?

This is disputed. The Santal account says the hunt is a ritual. But the High Court said hunting and sacrifice of animals cannot be permitted by the respondents. So call the hunt contested, not symbolic.

What did the Court say about conflict?

The Court rejected two Santal applications to join the case. While doing so, it said there was no conflict between tribals and Jains in this case. Jain counsel told the Court they would respect the religious practices of the tribals.

Part of the hill is protected as wildlife habitat. Two sanctuaries were notified there on 21 August 1984. They are the Parasnath Wildlife Sanctuary and the Topchanchi Wildlife Sanctuary.

How big are they?

The state forest department lists the two sanctuaries at 49.33 and 12.82 square kilometres.

What is an eco-sensitive zone?

It is a buffer area around a protected forest. Rules there limit activities that could harm the forest. The Union Environment Ministry notified one around these two sanctuaries on 2 August 2019, as S.O. 2795(E).

How large is the zone?

The zone covers 208.82 square kilometres. It extends from zero to 25 kilometres around the sanctuary boundary. So 25 kilometres is the maximum reach, not a fixed circle. Parasnath Hill is one of 99 villages in its annexure.

Four government orders shaped the dispute. Learn them in order.

What did the state say in 2018?

On 22 October 2018 the Jharkhand government issued an office memorandum. It called the hill a world famous pious place of Jains. It said the Government was committed to keep its sanctity intact. It was not a formal notification of a place of worship.

What happened in 2019?

On 22 February 2019 the state tourism department notified Parasnath as a tourist place. Jains felt this invited crowds and commercial use. In August 2019 the Union notified the eco-sensitive zone.

What happened in December 2022?

On 21 December 2022 the Jharkhand tourism department issued an office memorandum. The High Court records that it provided for a ban on liquor and non-vegetarian food on the hill. Jain groups also held protests and a one-day strike against treating the hill as a tourist place.

What did the Union do in January 2023?

On 5 January 2023 the Union Environment Ministry issued an office memorandum under section 5 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. It stayed all tourism and eco-tourism activities in the zone. It also told the state to enforce the 21 December 2022 ban.

On 2 May 2025 the Jharkhand High Court pronounced judgment in a public interest case. The case is Jyot v State of Jharkhand, W.P.(PIL) 231/2025. The bench was Chief Justice M.S. Ramachandra Rao and Justice Deepak Roshan.

What did the Court say about hunting?

It said hunting and sacrifice of animals cannot be permitted on the hill. It cited the Wild Life Protection Act, 1972 and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.

What did it tell the state?

The Court told the state to enforce the Union orders for the zone. These include the ban on liquor and non-vegetarian food in the 5 January 2023 order. The state must also keep the hill’s sanctity.

Is the matter closed?

The judgment is a milestone, not an end. Rights, rituals and tourism still pull in different directions. Exam answers should show both sides.

Read the dates from top to bottom. The legal story starts long before the 2022 protests.

Which dates matter most?

• 1910: a suit dealt with Santal hunting on the hill.
• 1918: the Shwetambaras bought the Raja’s rights.
• 1933: the Privy Council decided the case between the two sects.
• 1984: two wildlife sanctuaries were notified.
• 2019: the eco-sensitive zone was notified.
• 2022 to 2023: tourism orders, protests and a Union stay.
• 2025: the High Court judgment.

Shikharji is among Jainism’s chief pilgrimage places. Others include Palitana, Girnar and Dilwara. Each has its own story and its own rules.

Why do exams like this hill?

It joins three syllabus areas. It is religion and culture. It is environment law. It is also a question of tribal rights. So an exam may ask for dates, but it may also ask you to weigh claims.

What should you take away?

Keep two names, one number for the Tirthankaras, and three tests. First, who holds ownership. Second, what the environment law allows. Third, how a custom can be respected without harming wildlife.