Parasnath: The City on the Mountain

The hill is believed to be named after "Lord Parshvanatha" who was the 23rd Tirthankara.

Most of the temples that are present at the hills are dedicated to Parsvanath who is believed to have meditated and attained salvation on the Parasnath Hill that looms over the town of Shikharji. The oldest among all of the temples in Shikharji is known to be around 300 years old and named "Bageecha Temple" which translates to Garden Temple. The delicately and beautifully carved stone sculpture of Parasnath points out that the deity was later restored to the temple after it was sealed in a wall of the nearby "Tera Panthi Shrine" for many decades. Most of the shrines that are present in Shikharji are spic and span with the hordes of pilgrims that come here from all across the world. Twenty Jain Tirthankars present in the place, out of the total twenty-four are believed to have attained salvation in these very hills. The names of the 20 Tirthankars are Ajitnath, Abhinandan, Sumatinath, Chandraprabhu, Sheetalnath, Suparshwanath, Kunthunath, Munisuvrat Swami, Parsvanath, Arnath, Sambhavnath, Padmprabhu, Anantnath, Suvidhinath, Shreyansnath, Vimalnath, Shantinath, Mallinath, Dharmnath, and Naminath. Although for a fact, the Jains that live here believe that not only 20 but all the 24 Tirthankaras that live here have attained Nirvana at this location.

The traditional and cultural vibes of Parasnath town is shaped by generations of communities living here for centuries. The tribes such as Santhals, Banjaras, Bihors, Bhils, Chero, Kols, etc. have majorly influenced the customs, tradition, and culture of this hillside city. The influence of Islamic, Buddhism, and Jainism environments can be seen in this part of the state. One of the oldest cave paintings of the state, known as "Shabars", were found in this region. Music of the states, West Bengal and Bihar have a great impact on the folk music of the people inhabiting this area. The folk music of the area is along with entertainment purposes, also conveys a tremendous ritualistic and social impact on the people and gives out a strong message to society.

The food of this region is generally very light to the stomach and very easy to digest. The native folks of this region of Jharkhand have absorbed this fact very well among themselves as showed by the food habits of the locals. One of the most essential and famous traditional dishes of Parasnath is Litti & Chokha. Among the non-vegetarian Jharkhand delicacies that are famous here, spicy chicken is the one loved by the localities and will leave your taste-buds drooling. You can also see a light touch of food of the vigorous Mughals that used to reside here, in some of the varieties of dishes that are exclusive to this area.

Parasnath Hills: This is no doubt the most sacred place of the Jain religion. The mountain from where 20 of the 24 Jain tirthankar attained salvation and crores of other Munis and saints attained Moksha is undoubtedly one of the holiest places of this community. It is a beautiful green mountain which.offers an exquisite climate and heartwarming wind. This is about a 27 km yatra which takes about 12 to 16 hours for completion. Overall this is a must-visit place for people of all faith and cultures.

Khandoli Park:

Khandoli is a must-visit location in the town. The scenic view of the place is just amazing. The dam is so well maintained, neat, and clean. It would be a lovely and serene place to be with family within 7-8 kilometer periphery of the town. One can truly enjoy the beauty of nature in this park. Different types of flowers and plants are also there in the park, which will give you the feeling of joy among yourselves.

Usri Falls: It is around 12 kilometers away from the city. It is indeed a very renowned place for tourists and also a spot for picnics having a lot of peoples coming here for site-seeing and enjoyment. It is a lovely place surrounded by a lot and a lot of forest land. Don't expect a high falls grom this place, it will be only 20 ft high, but the layout with rock formation looks fantastic and certainly much to attract yourself there.

Parasnath Temple: The Parasnath temple will certainly be the last stop of the Shikhar Ji pilgrimage to make your brains leave from here with a beautiful and charming after effect. You will certainly be able to see the entire route of your journey from the top of your location. Something that shouldn't be forgotten is to visit the secret cave under the temple, which is truly an added wonder. This is the temple at the very top of the Parasnath hill. It has two places, one where Lord Parasnath used to meditate in his most lifespan and one where he attained Nirvana in this location. The place where Lord Parasnath used to meditate is under a cave where one can indeed find the sign of his toes called as 'Pagliaji'.

The climate here is truly amazing, and the amenities of stay in lodges and hotels are admittedly great. The people here are friendly as they are filled with a lot of culture and beliefs. The food, the stay, the weather is all totally the best package for someone who wants to spend a beautiful weekend that is filled with a mixture of fun and religious beliefs. For souvenirs, the local market has some handicrafts and other gift products. It will hardly take two days to explore the city. The best time to plan a visit is in December-March. The backpackers can have a budget plan of 2.5-3 thousand. They can find pocket-friendly accommodation as per their suitability. For Mid-range travelers, the expenses would be around 3.5-4 thousand. Decent housing with other necessities is readily available. And for luxury tourists, the budget can go up to 4.5-5 thousand. They can rent a car with driver to be at their service the entire stay.