MOUNT
ABU - VERDANT OASIS IN THE HILLS
A pleasant
retreat set amidst the lush forested hills, Mt. Abu is
a green oasis in the barren desertscape thats Rajasthan.
Situated at the southern tip of the Aravali range the
hill retreat owes its cool climate to its rich flora covering
the entire hillside that includes coniferous trees and
flowering shrubs. 
The
road leading to Mount Abu is a curved one characterized
by arid region dotted with huge rocks in weird shapes
and high velocity winds. The only hill station in Rajasthan,
Mount Abu is more than just a summer retreat. Its stunning
array of exquisite Dilwara Jain Temples, dating back 11th-
13th centuries, make it a popular pilgrimage
centre. Abu according to a legend.stands for the son of
Himalayan, deriving its name from Arbuada,the powerful
serpent who rescued Nandi, the sacred bull of Lord Shiva,
from a chasm.
Mount Abu has been home to
many sages and saints. Most famous of them was Sage
Vashishtha who is believed to have created four agnikula
Rajput clans from a fire-pit by performing ayagna or
fire sacrifice, to protect the earth from the demons.
PRIME
SITES
Gaumukh
Temple: A natural spring flowing through a
sculpted cow is head gives the shrine its name. The
famous yagna of sage Vashishtha was performed here.
A beautifully sculpted hill temple of Arbuada-the mighty
serpent stands against the beautiful backdrop. Nearby
is the magnificent marble image of Nandi, the celestial
bull rescued by Arbuada.
Delwara
Jain Temple: These beautifully carved temples
built between 11th and 13th century
A.D. are sheer elegance in marble, dedicated to the
jain Tirthankaras. The Vimal Vasahi temple is the oldest
of these dedicated to the first Tirthankara. Built in
1031 A.D. (by Vimal Shah-a merchant and representative
of then Gujarat ruler), it is a superb example of temple
architecture.The central shrine has an image of Rishabhdev
and large courtyard with 52 small shrines,each housing
a beautiful statue of thirthankaras with 48 elegantly
carved pillars form the entrance to the courtyard.The
Lun Vasahi Temple, dedicated to the 22nd
Tirthankaras-Neminath, was built in 1231 A.D. by two
brothers-Vastupal and Tejpal,Ministers of Raja Vir Dhawal,
a ruler of Gujarat-belonging to the Porwal Jain community.With
door casings, pillars,architraves,and sculptures on
porticos,the temple is a fine specimen of craftsmanship
Adhar Devi Temple : The temple is chiselled
out of a huge rock reached by a flight of 360 stairs.
A favourite tourist spot.
Sunset Point:
Spectacular sight of the setting sun when the hills
are covered in the golden glow can be viewed from here.
Shri Raghunathji Temple:
Situated near the Nakki lake is the temple dedicated
to Shri Raghunathji with a beautiful image of the deity
that was placed here in 14th century A.D.
by Shri Ramanand the famous Hindu preacher..
Museum and Art Gallery:
Located at the Raj Bhawan, it was a collection of archaeological
excavations dating back to 8th-12th
century A.D. It also has Jain bronze carvings,brassworks
etc. for viewing.
EXCURSIONS
Trevor
Tank (5 km): Named after the British engineer
who constructed it, Trevor Tank is a delight for birdwatchers
with densely wooded hills that are a haven to pigeons,
peacocks and partridges.
Achalgarh
(8 km): An impressive fort with some beautiful jain
temples enclosed within. Among the noteworthy temples
are Achaleswar Mahadev Temple (1412 A.D.) and Kantinath
Jain Temple (1513 A.D.) . The latter has gold plated
image. Mandakini Kund and a sculpture of Parmar Dharavarsh
are situated close to the Achaleswar Mahadev Temple.
The Fort was built in the 14th century A.D.
by Rana Kumbha and is approachable by a motorable road.
Guru Shikhar
(15 km): The highest peak on the mount (1722 mts. Above
the sea level) allows a bird is eye view of the sylvan
surroundings of Mt. Abu.
GENERAL
INFORMATION
Area
: 25 sq. km.
Altitude : 1219 mts.
Climate : Mean Max. Mean Min.
Summer : 33.8 degree C 23.3 degree C
Winter : 28.3 degree C 11.6 degree C
Rainfall : 65-177 cms.
Best Season : Feb-June , Sept. Dec.
Clothing : Summer light tropical
Winter light woollen
Languages : English, Hindi, Gujarati.
