Ashtapad, Hastinapur

Ashtapad means eight steps. According to Jain scriptures, there is an Ashtapad spiritual centre somewhere in the snow-clad Himalayan ranges. It is located approximately 168 miles in the north of Badrinath as one travels to Kailash Parbat. It is believed to be nearly seven miles from the fabulous Mansrovar Lake, now under Chinese possession.

According to legends, Bhagwan Rishabhdev, the first Tirthankar attained salvation at this place. Maharaja Bharat Chakravarti, his son built a palace on Ashtapad Mountains and decorated it with diamonds. It is also believed that those who visit Ashtapad attain salvation. With this belief in view, the Jain community has built a replica of the Ashtapad in Hastinapur, the birth place of the first teerthankar.

The magnificent teerath was completed in two long decades at the cost of Rs. 25 crores. The 151 ft tall, 108 diameter palatial structure can be reached through four gates. It has eight padas or steps and each step is108 ft in height.