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Mount
Abu Travel Mount
Abu is one of the popular jain pilgrimage sites. 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.
Tourist Attractions in Mount Abu
- The Jain temple, Mount Abu
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.
Outside
the main doors of this temple, there are two statues called
Devrani's and Jethani's goklas respectively, and are backed by
stories of competitive jealousy of the two wives of these brothers.
Another striking feature of the temple is the marble dome in the
porch, which is made up of a cluster of half open lotuses, which
appear to be almost transparent.
The Vimal Vasahi temple
is older and is also known to be the first Jain temple and is
dedicated to the first Jain Tirthankara. Built in 1031, by Bhim
Deva, the first Solanki ruler of Gujarat, the temple is constructed
in pure marble, with plain exteriors. However, its interiors are
richly sculpted and house some fine examples of the accomplishment
of artist in those times.
Residents of the area will tell
you that a visit to Abu cannot be complete without obtaining the
blessings of Arbuda Devi, the goddess after whom Abu is said to have
been named. Arbuda Devi is stationed some 200 steps above the road,
in a series of caves on top of a mountain. Along with Arbuda Devi
are the statues of her three attendants.
- 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.
Inside
is a shrine of Datta-traya, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Outside
the temple, a little distance from its door is a huge brass bell,
which stands sentinel overlooking the lush greenness of Mount Abu. A
costume photographer displays dresses and invites tourists to pose
with temple as a backdrop.
Another temple worth visiting is
the Brahmakhadd, a Shiva temple with a difference. Here the deity is
not the traditional lingam but a pit into which Lord Shiva is said
to have put his foot. Legend has it that the spot goes deep into the
earth until it touches water. Outside this temple there is a statue
of Goddess Parvati, and a large statue of Nandi, which still bears
marks of destruction, wrought by invading armies.
- Nakki Lake, Mount Abu
In the heart of the town Mount
Abu, at one end of the Mall is Nakki Lake, which has an interesting
history. It is said that it was drawn by the finger nails (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.
The lake too, has survived
to tell the tale. Picturesquely set, with the hills rising all
around it, the lake has several islets to which you can hire boats.
An interesting facet is the many rock formations around the lake.
They have been named Toad Rock, Nun Rock, Nandi Rock and Camel Rock
because of their resemblance to these figures. The road appears to
be looking broodingly down towards the lake, as if contemplating
jumping in. 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.
There are rumors
that you might run into a bear on your way up, but the climb is well
worth the risk! And one can take courage from the fact that none of
the travelers in the last few years have encountered the animal.
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Rajasthan
Wildlife Tour (19 Nights / 20 Days) New Delhi - Agra -
Bharatpur - Ranthambore - Kota - Udaipur - Mount Abu - Kumbhalgarh -
Jodhpur - Jaisalmer - Gajner - Mandawa - Jaipur - Sariska - New
Delhi Splendid
Rajasthan Tour (12 Nights / 13 Days) Delhi - Udaipur -
Mount Abu - Udaipur - Ranthambhore - Jaipur - Delhi Glimpses
of Romantic Rajasthan Tour (15 Nights / 16 Days) Delhi
- Mandawa - Bikaner - Jaisalmer - Luni - Mount Abu - Udaipur -
Pushkar - Samode - Jaipur - Delhi |
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