Diwali for Jain Families: Kundalpur, Sonagiri, Khajuraho and Gopachal

For Jains, Diwali is the day Bhagwan Mahavir, the 24th Tirthankara, attained nirvana at Pawapuri on Kartik Amavasya. Lamps are lit as a symbol of knowledge removing the darkness of ignorance.

On Diwali morning, devotees pray to Mahavir Swami in temples and offer the Nirvan laddu. Tradition also holds that his chief disciple, Gautam Swami, attained kevalgyan (omniscience) at this time. The Jain new year, in the Vir Nirvan Samvat calendar, begins on the next day, Pratipada.

Many Jain families keep the day simple and devotional. Some observe a fast, and many avoid firecrackers out of respect for ahimsa. That is why a quiet tirth darshan suits this festival so well. To see how the wider state marks Diwali, read our guide to Diwali across Madhya Pradesh.

Kundalpur in Damoh district is one of the most loved Digambar Jain tirths in central India. The main idol, Bade Baba, is a 15-ft seated image of Bhagwan Adinath (Rishabhdev) on a 3-ft pedestal. The site has about 63 temples spread over the hill and around the pond at its foot.

Kundalpur is about 37 km from Damoh station and about 143 km from Jabalpur, so it fits well as a day trip from a Jabalpur stay. Our 2 night Jabalpur package can be planned around this, and we can swap one sightseeing day for Kundalpur darshan.

The big Kundalpur fair is held in March, after Holi, so the Diwali days are usually calmer at the tirth. For the full route, see our planned guide on reaching Kundalpur Bade Baba from Jabalpur, and browse all our Jabalpur tour packages.

Sonagiri in Datia district is a Siddha Kshetra, where Jain texts say crores of ascetics attained liberation. It has 103 temples, 77 of them on the hill, and is also called Laghu Sammed Shikhar. Temple no. 57 holds an 11-ft idol of Bhagwan Chandraprabhu, known locally as Bade Baba. It is about 65 km from Gwalior and has its own railway station on the Agra–Jhansi line.

Gopachal is a set of Jain statues carved into the cliffs of the Gwalior fort hill in the 14th and 15th centuries, under the Tomar rulers. The Adinath image is about 57 ft tall, and the main idol is a 47-ft Parshvanath in lotus position.

You can cover both from a Gwalior stay. Our Gwalior and Orchha 2 night package starts from ₹9,400 per person, and we can add a Sonagiri half day to it. Read more in our planned post on Sonagiri and Gopachal from Gwalior.

Most visitors know Khajuraho for its Hindu temples, but the Jain temples here are part of the same UNESCO World Heritage Site. They date to the Chandela period, and the Parshvanath temple carries a Jain inscription from the 10th century.

The group includes the Parshvanath, Adinath and Shantinath temples. The Shantinath temple has a 15-ft idol of Bhagwan Shantinath. Unlike many old monuments, these are living temples with regular worship, so dress modestly and follow temple rules. Incredible India has a good overview of the group.

Our 2 night Khajuraho tour starts from ₹7,650 per person and leaves time for an unhurried Jain temple visit. See the full list of Khajuraho sights and temples.

• Check this year's Diwali date. Plan darshan for Diwali morning if you want to offer the Nirvan laddu.
• Tell us about Jain food: no onion, no garlic, no root vegetables, and meals before sunset if you follow that. We share this with hotels and drivers in advance.
• Carry simple, modest clothes for temple visits.
• Start hill climbs at Sonagiri and Kundalpur early in the morning. Carry water.
• Remove leather items like belts and wallets before entering temples, as many Jain temples ask.
• Keep the trip free of firecrackers, in the spirit of ahimsa.
• Many tirths run dharamshalas. Book early if you want to stay on site.

Want more places? Our planned guide to a Jain tirth yatra across Madhya Pradesh lists eight sacred stops. Or compare our Diwali holiday plans across the state.