Tirth Pat

A Tirth Pat is a distinctive type of religious map employed in Śvētāmbara Jainism to represent significant pilgrimage sites. Unlike conventional maps, it does not indicate distances, elevations, or directions. Instead, its sole purpose is spiritual: to aid devotees in visualizing and feeling spiritually connected to these sacred locations. Simply gazing at a Tirth Pat is believed to bestow spiritual merit upon a Jain devotee.

In the Śvētāmbara Jain tradition, five pilgrimage sites hold paramount significance: Shatrunjaya and Girnar in Gujarat, Mount Abu in Rajasthan, Shikharji in Bihar, and Ashtapada in the Himalayas. For those unable to physically visit these locations, viewing a Tirth Pat provides a means to attain the same spiritual benefits.

Each year, around October-November, these maps are displayed near Jain temples or in designated areas, allowing devotees to congregate, offer worship, and acquire spiritual merit through their contemplation of the Tirth Pat.