Travel to Mount Abu

MOUNT ABU - FAST FACTS

Population	:	18,000
Languages	:	Rajasthani, Hindi
Best time to visit	:	All through the year, especially during summer
STD Code	:	02974

MOUNT ABU - THE PARADISE OF RAJASTHAN

The road to paradise has never been easy and this one is no exception. Bumping along an uneven road, hitting your head against the smooth roof of a deluxe bus you need to close your eyes and revive the temptations of your destination. Conjure up the lushness of Mount Abu, which all tourist guides announce is 'the paradise of Rajasthan'.

The little pamphlet gushes that Mount Abu, the only hill station in Rajasthan, offers you the best of all possible worlds, with more scenic beauty, more architecture and archaeology in the form of the famous Dilwara caves, the chief center for the Brahmakumaris and a generous peppering of temples which shows that the place is exceptionally favored by the gods. Abu has been an important place of penance for the sages.

MOUNT ABU - TOURIST ATTRACTIONS

The Dilwara Jain temples for instance, have been compared to the Taj Mahal for their sheer elegance and beauty in marble. Built between the 11th and 13th century, these temples are all the more exceptional because the marble to build these was brought all the way from Makrana and the best workmen and craftsmen employed to ensure the finest quality of sculpture. Intricate carvings decorate each portion of these temples, which are dedicated to the Jain Tirthankaras. Millions of rupees were spent on the carvings, architecture and décor of the temples and the workmen were rewarded in silver and gold equivalent to the amount of marble brought in.

The Jain temple

Of the five temples - Vimal Vasahi, Lun Vasahi, Shri Risha Lhdeo, Shri Parshvanath and Shri Mahavir Swami, the first two are the most famous. One estimate states that a sum of Rs. 1.2 billion was spent on Lun Vasahi itself. This temple was built by two brothers - Vastupal and Tejpal, ministers in the court of Raja Varadnawarkar, a ruler of Gujarat. They belonged to Neminath Bhagwan, the 22nd Tirthankara.

Abu's highest peak

Guru Shikhar, the highest peak of Mount Abu, is also perhaps the most beautiful. There is certain serenity about the temple built atop this peak. The temple might just have stepped out of a fairy tale, with only a small portion in pink jutting out of an otherwise plain white chalk building.

Nakki, the lake

In the heart of the town, at one end of the Mall is Nakki Lake, which has an interesting history. It is said that it was drawn by the fingernails (nakk) of a sage, Balam Rasia, in response to the demands of the stepmother of the girl he wished to marry. The girl, a princess, and a daughter of the then King of Abu, was also in love with the sage, but because of the evil stepmother the affair ended in tragedy, and has been immortalized in a temple of the Kunwari Kanya, alongside which stands a statue of her lover.

MOUNT ABU - REACHING THERE

Mount Abu is Rajasthan's only hill station. It is 187 km away from Ahmedabad in Gujarat.

By Rail - There are direct trains to Abu Road Station (27 km away from Mount Abu) from Delhi, Jodhpur and Agra. A fast train takes four hours between Ahmedabad in Gujarat and Abu Road.

By Road - Regular buses connect Abu Road to Mount Abu. The journey takes about an hour. Taxis and jeeps are also available to take you to Mount Abu. Direct buses also connect Mount Abu with Udaipur and Ahmedabad.