Mount Abu Tour

FactFile
» Location from major metros : Delhi ( 767 km)

» Known for : Mount Abu is well known for the famous Dilwara temples and many more archaeological remains.

» Climate and the best time to visit : Mount Abu has a temperate climate where summer temperatures can go as high as 33°/34°C. Minimum summer temperatures remain at a pleasant 23°C. The weather remains cool because of the verdant greenery covering the entire hillside that includes coniferous trees and flowering shrubs. During winters the maximum temperature may touch 28°C with minimum temperatures going down to 11°C. It rains fairly heavily in the monsoon (65-177cm). The best times to visit are between February and June or after the rains between September and December.


The city
The only hill station in Rajasthan, Mount Abu huddles among the rocks on a 1,220-m granite table mountain at the far southwestern end of the Aravalli hills. It is built around a lake and is surrounded by forested hills. According to a legend, the place derives its name from Arbuda, a serpent who descended to the spot to rescue Shiva¿s bull, Nandi. Besides having all the features of a pleasant hill resort.

Mount Abu is also well known for the famous Dilwara temples and many more archaeological remains. There are interesting treks and picnic spots, romantic royal retreats of the various erstwhile families of bygone Rajputana and some relics of the Raj period. The scenic landscapes include gigantic blocks of rocks in weird shapes, an array of coniferous trees, flowering shrubs, lovely lakes and the cool climate much in contrast to the arid environs of the state.

Attractions in the city
» Dilwara Temples : This complex comprises of five marble Jain temples, which are intricately carved temples and were built between 11th & 13th century AD. These temples, one of their kind in the whole of Rajasthan are sheer elegance in marble, dedicated to the Jain Tirthankaras. The Vimal Vasahi Temple is the oldest of these, dedicated to the first Tirthankara which was built in 1031 AD (by Vimal Shah- a merchant and representative of the then Gujarat ruler)and is an architechtural splendour.

» Gaumukh Temple (the cow’s mouth) : This small temple is dedicated to Lord Ram and is centred on a spring gushing from the mouth of a marble cow. In the Hindu creation myth, the world is formed by a cow, licking salt; the source of the Ganges has the same name. This temple is considered to be the site of the ancient 'agnikund' fire rituals and is 4 kms south of Mount Abu.

» Govt. Museum (Mount Abu) : This museum was set up in 1962 within the premises of Raj Bhawan to preserve the archaeological wealth of the region.

» Nakki Talav : This is the holiday centre of Mount Abu which lies in the heart of the town. This beautiful blue artificial lake is said to have been gauged from the earth by the gods, using their fingernails ('nakh' means nail). The 14th century Raghunath temple is located nearby. On the western edge of the town centre, Nakki Lake Road circles the entire lake. It must be noted that the rowing boats are available for hire from the Jetty by Gandhi Park.

Other places to visit
» Adhar Devi Temple (2Km.) : This ancient temple is devoted to the serpent goddess, Arbuda and has been carved out of a huge rock. As per the legend, Arbuda is the patron of the town, who formed the mountain in order to save the sacred cow, Nandi from drowning in an abyss. The black-painted marble idol, riding a solid gold tiger, is said to be about 5,000 years old. Open and free access during daylight hours.

» Guru Shikhar (15Km.) : It is the highest peak on the Mount Abu (1722 mts above the sea level) and presents a lovely view of the charming surroundings of Mt. Abu. A small temple of Lord Shiva and a temple of Dattatreya standing on the Shikhar must be visited.

» Trevors Tank (5Km.) : It is named after the British engineer, who constructed it, and is a delight for birdwatchersas it houses densely wooded hills that are a haven to pigeons, peacocks and partridges.


How to reach
» By Air : Maharana Pratap Udaipur Airport, Dabok (Udaipur) 207-km is the nearest airport from Mount Abu . One can hire a taxi to get to Mount Abu from the airport.

» By Rail : The nearest railway station is Abu Road (29-km) situated on Mumbai-Ahmedabad-Ajmer-Jaipur-Delhi route. From Abu Road one can take a taxi, jeep or bus to Mount Abu.

» By Road : The distace of Mount Abu from various cities is as follows : Ahmedabad (222-km via Palanpur), Jodhpur (235-km via Sirohi and Pali), Udaipur (156-km via Pidwara), and Jaipur (509-km via Pali-Ajmer). Mount Abu is as well connected to all the major towns in northern and western India via well developed roads.