Mount
Abu City Travel Guide
- Rajasthan
General Information Of Mount
Abu
-
Area 15.54 sq. km
-
Population 15,593
-
Altitude 1,220 metres
above sea level
-
Languages Rajasthani,
Hindi
-
Best time to visit
February-June and September-December
STD code 02974
|
 |
Introduction to city Mount Abu -
In Rajasthan
Perched at an altitude of 1,220 metres above sea level, Mt. Abu
is Rajasthan’s only hill station. It is around 180 km away from
Jodhpur, the second biggest city of Rajasthan, and 509 km away
from Jaipur, the state capital. It is also one of the major
pilgrimage sites of India for both Hindu as well as Jain
religions. Besides the temples and sites of historical
importance, Mt. Abu is also rich in natural scenic beauties.
Mt. Abu was once a part of the Chauhan kingdom. It was later
leased to the British by the then Maharaja of Sirohi for
use as the headquarters of the resident to Rajputana (another
name for Rajasthan). During the British rule in India, it was
the favourite summer destination of the British who came here to
escape the dusty, dry heat of the plains.
Mt. Abu was also the home of many saints and sages in ancient
times. Legend has it that all the three hundred and thirty
million gods and goddesses of the Hindu pantheon used to visit
this holy mountain. This place is held in reverence by Jains
since Lord Mahavira, the 24th Jain Tirthankara
(spiritual leader), visited Mt. Abu and blessed the city.
Sightseeing : Places to visit in destination - Mount Abu
Mt. Abu is the highest point between the Nilgiris in the south
and the Himalayas in the north. The location and weather of
Mount Abu has given this charming little hill station a wide
variety of vegetation. On the drive up to Mount Abu, the
flowering trees and shrubs make it seem like a huge garden. A
meandering stream nearby and tall pine trees make for excellent
natural scenery and gives the place an almost ethereal aura.
Besides being a popular hill station, this cool and cosy city is
also famous for its temples. The first to come to mind are the
Dilwara Temples, which are the finest examples of Jain
art and architecture. The plain marbles of the exteriors do not
prepare the visitor for the richly embellished interiors.
Episodes from different Jain legends are intricately carved in
marble and so lifelike and delicate are the sculptures that it
is difficult to believe they are indeed carved out of stone.
Mount Abu is indeed the pivot of the Jain world.
Mount Abu Sightseeing :
Places to visit in destination Mount Abu
|
|
Places to visit in the city Mount Abu |
|
DILWARA JAIN TEMPLES -
Mount Abu
|
|
Dilwara is a historical pageant of many years and many
stones, much sweat and much love, a legend in marble. A
sacred pilgrimage of the Jains, the five legendary marble
temples of Dilwara are an overwhelming blend of simple
beauty and exquisite elegance—no other temple in Rajasthan
can come close to these in terms of architectural
perfection. It would be very difficult to exaggerate the
beauty of these temples. When travellers in the past
recorded their impressions of these temples it was with a
sense of awe. The amount of ornamental detail spread over
these structures in the minutely carved decoration of
ceilings, doorways, pillars, panels and niches is simply
marvellous, while the crisp translucent shell-like
treatment of the marble surpasses anything seen elsewhere,
and some of the designs are just dreams of beauty. Dilwara
is a historical pageant of many years and many stones,
much sweat and much love, a legend in marble. A sacred
pilgrimage of the Jains, the five legendary marble temples
of Dilwara are an overwhelming blend of simple beauty and
exquisite elegance—no other temple in Rajasthan can come
close to these in terms of architectural perfection. It
would be very difficult to exaggerate the beauty of these
temples. When travellers in the past recorded their
impressions of these temples it was with a sense of awe.
The amount of ornamental detail spread over these
structures in the minutely carved decoration of ceilings,
doorways, pillars, panels and niches is simply marvellous,
while the crisp translucent shell-like treatment of the
marble surpasses anything seen elsewhere, and some of the
designs are just dreams of beauty. |
|
NAKKI LAKE - Mount Abu
|
|
In the heart of the town, at one end of the Mall, is the
serene Nakki Lake which has an interesting history. It is
believed that the gods formed the lakebed by digging it
with their fingernails (nakh); hence the name, Nakki Lake.
Picturesquely set, with the hills rising all around it,
the lake has several islets to which you can hire boats.
An interesting facet of the lake are the many rock
formations around it. They have been named Toad Rock, Nun
Rock, Nandi Rock and Camel Rock because of their
resemblance to these figures. Nun Rock is a large smooth
rock as it supposedly looks a woman with a veil. The climb
up to these rocks, through the wooded forests is a
beautiful one, with each of the rocks on the way making
unique formations, fissures and shapes. |
|
|
VIEWPOINTS - Mount Abu
|
|
Like all other hill stations, Mt. Abu too has its horse
rides, honeymoon and sunset points. The Sunset Point here
is definitely worth a visit. An entire hill has been
carved into several layers, top to bottom, and as the sun
begins to lower itself in the sky, the hill is crowded
with people covered in the golden glow of the setting sun.
There\’s also a Honeymoon Point that gives a good glimpse
of the sunset and the plains as well. A few kilometres
from the lake and on the western side of the Adhar Devi
temple, there lies the Shanti Shikhar (the peak of peace),
which offers a panoramic view of the valley. |
Excursions : Places nearby city
- Mount
Abu
Mt. Abu offers some good day-treks to nearby places.
Achalgarh (11 km) offers superb views of the surroundings.
The famous Achaleshwar temple here is believed to have
Shiva’s toeprint. Guru Shikhar (15 km), set at an altitude of
1,720 metres, is the region’s highest peak and offers good views
especially at dawn.
|
