Mount Abu Tourism District : Sirohi Region in Godwad or Godwar. Location : Perched on the Aravalli Hills near South Western border of Gujarat. Famous As : Only Hill Station of Rajasthan. Altitude : 4,000 ft above Sea Level.

Dilwara Temples, Mount Abu

Dilwara Jain Temples Dungarpur

Jodhpur

Udaipur

Mount Abu - A Gateway To Chilling Rajasthan

It is always easy to shield things by holding them high; be it a fascinating candy or a cozy weather. However, the latter can be easily felt at Mount Abu in Rajasthan. Cushioned with lush forested hills of Aravallis, Mt. Abu is the only hill station in the rustic canvas of Rajasthan, a popular hot season retreat from the plains of both Rajasthan and Gujrat. The road leading to Mount Abu is a curved one, creeping like a sleeping baby, with the ascent holding the way tightly to her bosom, trimming it with huge rocks in weird shapes and shawling it from implacable high velocity winds. Mount Abu tourism in India will allow you to look at those starry-eyed honeymooners, curtailing every inches of chasm into centimetres. Perhaps it has something to do with the flirtatious lake at the heart of town, or the many aphrodisiac curves along the Aravalli ridge from which you can hold hands and watch how the red flirts with indigo before melding in the horizon at sunset.

The Legends of The Hill

Travel to Mount Abu, that has been a haven for saints and sages, from the time one can trace it. Legend has it that all the 330 million gods and goddesses of the Hindu mythology used to visit this holy hill. It is also the place where the great saint Vashishth performed a yagna (sacrificial worship on a fire pit) to create four Agnikula (four clans of fire) to protect the earth from Parasurama. Believed to be an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, Parasurama, wiped out the kshatriya (warrior) caste 21 times to avenge the death of his father. The yagna was supposed to have been performed near a natural spring, which emerged from a rock shaped like a cow's head.

According to another legend, once sage Vashishth's cow Nandini fell in lake. The sage appealed to Lord Shiva for assistance. The Lord then sent the youngest son of Himalaya, the king of mountains to save her. This he did with the assistance of Arbud, the celestial cobra, who brought a huge rock on his hood. The spot where the rock was dropped came to be known as Mount Arbud and was later changed to its present form - Mount Abu, the famous hill station of Rajasthan.

Fruits of Jain Architecture

The pièce de résistance of Mount Abu tourism is apparantly the stunning array of Dilwara Jain Temples from the 11th-13th centuries and dedicated to the Jain Tirthankaras. The hallmark of these Jain Temples (beside being one of the important pilgrimage destinations) is the cloudless translucent shell-like treatment of marble, the elegance and beauty of which can only be felt after seeing them. The architecture is marked by carvings that are not just ethereally beautiful in form but are often presented in a highly poetic context. For instance, look at one of those marble nayikas (maidens), carved on the walls of the sanctum, depicted as having just emerged from her bath. Droplets falling from her long hair are shown being drunk by a swan sitting at her feet. Mesmerizing, isn't it? Surely indeed these places of worship has given a new birth to marble architecture in Indian history. Each nook and corner of the Dilwara temples are so magnificently carved that it's a wonder that the effigy was created out of a single plain stone.

Chill On The Hills

Nakki Lake , Mount Abu

Everyone who comes to Mount Abu first hears of the erstwhile yet unimpeachable Nakki Lake, a favourite past time spot for the locals and residents of nearby areas. Leave the luggage in the hotel rooms and rush to refresh yourself with the tranquil waters of the lake. Let the dip take away all your stress, while you feel good with the eternal aura of self-satisfaction. Bathing in this lake is believed to be as purifying as bathing in the holy Ganges. According to local legend, the lake is said to have been dug by Sage Vasishtha, using only his nails (nakha). Spend an evening wandering around the lake, and let the cool breeze mess your hairs. It is a fun to have a boat cruise on the shimmering waters of the lake. Get on to one of those paddle boats, cuddling with each other and trying to find warmth in the cold waters of the Nakki Lake. Take up Mount Abu tourism to see the most famous attractions of this only hill station of Rajasthan. Travel 3 km north of town, and walk around 365 steps (a step for each day of the year) to reach the 500 year old Durga temple. The Adhar Devi Temple is built in a small cave and you have to stoop to get through the low entrance to the temple. Drive upto the end of the plateau, around 15 km, to reach the highest point at Guru Shikhar (1722 m). Enjoy the solitary atmosphere at the top and let your eyes graze all over the beautiful terrain sprawled underneath. Visit the Shiva temple at Achalgarh (11 km north of Mt. Abu). The temple is an album of multiple interesting features - toe of Lord Shiva, a brass Nandi and a deep abyss, which is believed has gone all the way to 'pataal' (underworld).

Walk With The Nature

On your Mount Abu tourism, visit the sanctuary which dispays a sign at the entrance

" Use your eyes to see the plants, birds and animals,
use your ears to hear birds and animals call,
use your legs to walk --the more you walk, the more you see and hear"

Welcome to Mt. Abu Wildlife Sanctuary, 8 km north-east of the pleasant plateau. The 290 km sprawling greens of the reserve is a home to panthers, bears, sambars, foxes, wild boars and numerous eye-catching birds. The sanctuary is open daily from 8 am to 5 pm with a minimal entry fee.

School of Spirituality

The serene ambiance of Mt. Abu surely elevates one's soul to a spiritually higher dimension. If you are interested in Indian way of meditation, visit the Brahma Kumaris Spiritual University, which has involved itself in the establishment of universal peace through the impartation of spiritual knowledge and training of easy raj yoga style. There are over 4500 schools sprawled over in about 70 countries around the world, and followers come to Mount Abu to attend courses at the university. Its better to contact your local branch and arrange things in advance.

Taste The Honey And Buy The Moon

Mount Abu is a famous hill destination of Rajasthan where tourists can visit the colourful little shops around Nakki Lake and can look for kitsch curios flogging the stalls. In the evening this beautiful city springs to life and one can wander around leisurely with their loved ones. You can also buy some fantastic Jain art collections, such as bells, stone sculptures of Jain Tirthankars and boutique art fabrics. Visit the small restaurants near the lake and try some of the pancakes offered. They taste awesome. You can also enjoy some local delicacies while sitting near the lake on your Mount Abu tourism.

Get Going

Take up Mount Abu Tourism to enjoy the famous hill station of Rajasthan. To reach the pleasure paradise, one should step down at Abu Road, the broad gauge railhead for Mt. Abu, well connected to Delhi, Ajmer, Jodhpur, Jaipur, Agra and Mumbai via Ahmedabad. For Bhuj and the rest of the Kathiyar Peninsula, one should change trains at Palanpur, 53 km south of Abu Road. Take a shared taxi to reach your hotel. If a traveller wants to experience life in his own way, the best bet is a bus. Regular buses make the 27 km climb from Abu Road up to Mount Abu in 1 hour - there is always a newer surprise at every turn of the spiral road. RSTC buses go all the way to Mt. Abu, while others terminate at Abu Road, so don't forget to check the last destination. The bus schedule from Mount Abu is extensive, and for many destinations one can find a direct bus - faster and more convenient - than going down to Abu Road and waiting for a train. You will have to shed a few rupees at the toll gate, as you enter Mt. Abu, if you are in a car (keep small change handy). Mount Abu is a nice excursion from Udaipur (70 km) and tourists can have a break at the leisure paradise, away from the regular sightings of forts and palaces of Rajasthan.