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Over centuries, the Parasnath hill has been acknowledged for its religious significance, not only by the Jain community but also by various judicial and administrative authorities. The sanctity of the Hill in Jainism is akin to the sanctity of Ayodhya to Hindus, Bodh Gaya to Buddhists, the Golden Temple to Sikhs, Mecca to Muslims, and the Vatican to Catholics
The Supreme Court is set to hear an application on the 31st of July, concerning the preservation of the sanctity of Parasnath Hill, one of the most revered pilgrimage sites for the Jain community, located in the Giridih district of Jharkhand.
Filed by Darshanaben Nayanbhai Shah, the application seeks urgent directions to halt activities that desecrate the holy site of Parasnath Hill, also known as Shikharji, which is considered the most sacred place of worship for Jains, as it is believed that 20 of the 24 Tirthankaras, along with countless monks, attained nirvana here.
An order injuncting the State of Jharkhand from taking any further steps in relation to eco- tourism, erection of structures, construction of ropeway, and permitting constructions of any sort on the Parasnath Hill has been sought.
Moreover, an order injuncting the State of Jharkhand from carrying out activities considered sacrilegious according to Jain tradition and tenets affecting the religious character of the holy Hill and to maintain the sanctity of the holy Hill by taking such steps as necessary under law, has been sought.
The application is filed in petition concerning a six-decade-long title dispute over Parasnath Hill, the genesis of which is the acquisition of the entire Parasnath Hill under Bihar Land Reforms Act, 1950 from the Jain community by the erstwhile State of Bihar in the year 1953.
Shah has highlighted numerous activities carried out by the State of Jharkhand in the recent, that threaten the sanctity of the hill including tourism development of the place.
The influx of tourists facilitated by the state government, especially during New Year celebrations, has led to activities such as picnics and feasts on the hill, which are viewed as sacrilegious by the Jains, court has been told.
Notably, the proposal to construct a ropeway on the hill is also being opposed as traditionally barefoot pilgrimage as a mark of reverence is mandated.
The erection of new structures, including setting up polling booths, commercial shops, schools, etc. on the hill, have further exacerbated concerns about the degradation of the hill's sanctity as schools serve non-vegetarian food items on the hill which is extremely repugnant to the Jain community.
The application has been settled by Senior Advocates Darius Khambata and Gopal Sankaranarayanan.
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