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The only hill station
of Rajasthan, this is the coldest place at this time of the year.
Folk dances and a general atmosphere of gaiety prevails in this tiny
hill resort and the tourist has ample time to relax and enjoy himself.When ascending the mountain,
one can hardly fail to be impressed with the grandeur and the
scenic beauty, the gigantic blocks of rocks, towering along
the crest of the hill, are especially striking, in some cases
so weather- worn, that they present most fanciful and weird
shapes, while in others appear so slightly balanced as to be
in danger of rolling down.
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 a ‘yagna’ or
fire sacrifice, to protect the earth from the demons.
The Yagna was performed besides a natural spring situated below Abu,
emerging from a rock shaped like a cow’s head and hence the site was
called Gaumukh. |
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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 Tirthankaras 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.
Temple of Vastupala & Tejapala:
Built in the 13th century, commonly
known as Luna Vasahi, this temple is dedicated to Neminatha, the
twenty second Jain Tirthankara. The pattern of arrangement of the
sanctum and statues is almost similar to the temple of Vimal Sah.
The remaining three temples of
this complex, one is across the road and is not important
architecturally, the Chaumukha temple s dedicated to Parasavanath,
the adinath temple with a bell and chain decoration on the pillars
are the other two temples.
Nakki Lake:
The cozy little hill resort throbs
around this artificial lake, believed to be dug out by the god's
with their nails (nakh), and thus the name Nakki. The town forms an
amphitheatre around this lake, doted with little islets. Boats,
Shikaras and paddle boats are available for rowing on this beautiful
lake.
Temple of Vimal Sah:
Popularly known as Vimal Vasahi, it was
built by Vimahl Sah (an officer of the Chalukya King BhimaI) and
dedicated to the Adnath or Rishabdeo. It stands within a
quadrangular court and houses a shrine with a large brazen image of
Adinath preceded in front by a Mandapa (portico) supported by 48
pillars. The eight central pillars form and octagon holding up a
dome with its circular rims and richly carved pendant like roof.
Viewpoints
There are many view points around the
town. Most famous among them is the Sunset point which provides a
spectacular sight of the setting sun when the hills are covered in
the golden glow can be viewed from here. Other popular spots include
Honeymoon point, which also offers a view of sunset, the Crags and
the Shanti Shikhar.
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.
Gardens
and Parks
Beautifully laid parks and gardens are
interspersed throughout the hilly paradise. Ashok Vatika,Gandhi
park, Municipal Park, Shaitan Singh Park and Terrace Garden are some
of the noteworthy gardens.
Mount
Abu Sanctuary
This wildlife sanctuary is spread
over288 sq. km. The lush green scenic landscape is dominated by the
sub-tropical evergreen forests, one can cool refreshing breeze
loaded with the fragrance of wild roses and jasmine here.
This sanctuary has a treasure rich varied with fauna as well as
flora. The key animals are the leopard, sloth bear, wild boar,
Sambar, Chinkara and Langur. More than 250 species of exotic birds
can be observed. The most important among them is the gray jungle
fowl, making it a pilgrimage for the bird watchers. |
