Chitharal Jain Temple: Is It Worth Visiting? Our Experience

Since we are Jains, we always try to include Jain temples in our trips whenever possible. Before starting our Kerala and Tamil Nadu journey, we searched for Jain temples around Kerala. There isn’t much history of Jainism in Kerala, but while planning the trip, we came to know that there are a few Jain sites on the way from Thiruvananthapuram to Kanyakumari.

We decided to visit Chitharal Jain Temple not only for ourselves but also to understand whether it is a place we should recommend to our Jain travellers in the future.

Reaching Chitharal Jain Temple

Chitharal Jain Temple is located around 40–45 km from Poovar Island Resort, where we had stayed the previous night. Although the distance isn’t much, it took us around one and a half hours to reach the base of the hill.

Vehicles cannot go up to the temple. You have to park at the foothill and continue on foot.

To reach the temple, you’ll need to climb approximately 500–600 steps. Thankfully, the pathway is well laid out, so the climb is comfortable even though it takes some effort.

Good to Know

The climb isn’t very difficult, but because there are around 500–600 steps, it’s better to visit in the morning before the weather becomes too hot.

What We Found at the Top

Once we reached the top, we found that there is primarily one temple. However, during our visit, the temple was completely closed. There were no पूजा (worship) activities taking place, and visitors were not allowed to enter the temple.

According to what we learnt during our visit, the site is maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), which explains why it functions more as a protected monument than as an active Jain temple. As a result, darshan or पूजा is not possible.

What Can You See?

Although the temple itself remains closed, there are still a few Jain remains worth seeing.

During our visit, we noticed:

Murals of Jain Tirthankaras carved on the rocks.
A statue of Lord Parshwanath near the lower section of the site.

Apart from these, there isn’t much Jain-related heritage left to explore.

The best part of the visit, in my opinion, was actually the view from the hilltop. From the top, you can enjoy beautiful views of the surrounding greenery and countryside.

Is It Worth the Climb?

This is where I think expectations become important. If you’re visiting with the hope of performing Jain darshan or spending time inside an active temple, you may be disappointed. After climbing around 500–600 steps, you won’t be able to enter the temple, perform any rituals or even see much inside the shrine.

Travel Tip from Our Experience

If you’re already travelling on this route and enjoy historical sites or viewpoints, Chitharal Jain Temple can be a worthwhile stop.

However, if you’re making the climb only for Jain darshan, I don’t think the effort is justified because the temple remains closed and there is very little to see from a religious perspective.

Our Experience

We were happy that we visited Chitharal Jain Temple because it helped us understand what the site actually offers.

As Jains, we wanted to explore it so that we could honestly guide our future travellers.

Personally, I felt that the hilltop views were more rewarding than the temple itself. Since worship isn’t possible and the Jain remains are quite limited, I wouldn’t recommend visiting solely for religious purposes. But if you’re interested in history, archaeology or scenic viewpoints and are already travelling towards Kanyakumari, it can still be a pleasant stop on the way.