While Israel’s Tel Aviv is known to be the ‘Vegan Capital of the World’, India has a city that’s the “First Vegetarian City of the World”. Yes, you read this right. Palitana is Gujarat is the world’s first vegetarian city. Nestled in the Bhavnagar district of Gujarat, this city doesn’t have a single non-vegetarian restaurant. In fact, it’s absolutely illegal to sell meat, eggs or kill any animal for the purpose of consumption. Read on to know more
How It Became A Vegetarian City?
The history behind Palitana going 100 per cent vegetarian dates back to 2014. During that year, 200 Jain monks went on a hunger strike to ban 250 butcher shops and declare the city a meat-free zone. This is because the destination is a revered site for people practising Jainism. It’s home to hundreds of Jain temples as it’s believed that their saviour Adinatha walked on the hills of Palitana. The government then banned meat in Palitana in regard to the demands and sentiments of those practising Jainism. While no meat and eggs are sold or consumed in the city, dairy products like milk, ghee and butter, continue to be sold and consumed.
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Palitana Has The World’s Only Mountain To House Over 900 Temples
A trip to Palitana would be a spiritual one as this is the world’s only mountain to house over 900 temples. The Palitana temples and the entire mountain are both known to be the most sacred pilgrimage site for people of the Jain community. It’s also the world’s largest temple complex. It would take a couple of hours to climb up the Palitana hill to reach the hilltop pilgrimage site.
If you’re in Gujarat do visit this revered site and pay your respects to the divine.