Mount Abu the beautiful oasis in a desert land
Mount Abu the beautiful oasis in a desert land is a hilly abode situated at a height of 1219 meter above the sea level in the hot and dry land of Rajasthan. It is located in the Sirohi district. It is the only hill station that is present in the state more known for its deserts and camels. According to legends many saints used to stay at Mount Abu and practice meditation. The name of the place also has significance as “Abu” means the son of the Himalayas or the hill of wisdom. Every year thousands of tourists visit the beautiful hill station. It is very cold during the winters when the temperature touch almost to a zero degree centigrade. I went for a trip to Mount Abu along with my friends in the month of January usually an off season time as cold hilly places are lesser preferred during the winters. So for all those travel lovers who are in a search of options here is one I present to you - Mount Abu.
How to reach the place
Being a well known hill station located in the Sirohi district it is well connected by all means of transport. The nearest Railway station to Mt. Abu is Abu Road which is situated at a distance of around 28kms from the main city and has trains connecting it to other parts of the country. If you prefer to go by air the nearest airport is Udaipur that is approximately 185kms from the main city. You will need to hire a taxi or book one in advance to reach Mount Abu comfortably. We went by road. First we went to Jaipur via the National Delhi Jaipur Highway (that took us just 5hours) and then from the Bus station of Jaipur took a sleeper bus direct to Mount Abu. The bus took us straight to the city comfortably.
Where to stay
There are a number of options for stay available in and around the city of Mount Abu. The facilities differ from one hotel to another and so does the rates. There are options available for everyone high, medium and low, one can chose accordingly. As it was an off season at the time we went there we got a reasonably good place to stay at rates that were friendly to our pockets. Try book a place that is in the main city to have easy access to conveyance, food and other services.
Places to visit
There are tourist buses that will take you round the city at all the sightseeing spots in the area at very nominal prices. If you do not want to go on a bus you can hire cabs or taxis for the complete day. We preferred a the bus and had to pay just a 100 bucks per person for a day of sightseeing. The bus took us off at 8 am in the morning.
Gaumukh Temple
This was one of the first places the bus took us to. The temple has beautiful carved statues and is a religiously important place in the area. The temple was built for the great saint Guru Vashishtha. The temple premise has an Agni Kund that is believed to be the Kund where guru Vashistha used to perform his hawans and pujas. A large statue of the holy cow Nandi (Lord Shivs’s devotee and vehicle) is in the temple that is made of marble. There are other beautiful statues of Lord Ram, Nandi, Saint Vashishtha and Lord Krishna in the temple. You will also see a spring near the temple that appears to be emerging from a rock that is in the shape of a cow’s head. The scenic beauty around the temple is peaceful and you must not miss the place.
Dilwara Jain
Temple The Dilwara Jain temple is known worldwide for its architectural beauty and craftsmanship. The temple was built around 11th to 13th century AD. The ceilings, pillars and walls of the temple have the best and beautiful carvings of marble I had ever seen somewhere. Being a popular Jain pilgrimage one will see many Jain tourists flocking the temple around the year. The guide told us that the huge marble stones for the construction had to be carried on elephant backs to the place that is at 1200meters during those times as there were no other means of transport available. The marble was brought from the Arasoori Hills at Ambaji. The guide further explained us the five major sections of the temple. The temple has been divided into five major smaller temples each dedicated to a Jain Saint or Tirthankara.
These sections were as –
- Shri Adinath Temple built by Vimal Shah in 1031 AD and is the oldest temple of all. It is also called the Vimal Vasahi temple. It is devoted to Shri Adinath Ji who is worshipped as the first Tirthanakara of the Jains. The temple ahs beautiful carvings of saints, flowers, petals and females playing musical instruments. The art work is amazing and if you are an admirer of art like me you are bound to get deeply lost in the beautiful carvings of the temple.
- Shri Mahaveer Swami temple that is the temple devoted to Lord Mahaveer who is worshipped as the 24th Jain Tirthanakara. The temple was built in 1582.
- Shri Parshavnath Temple was built by Mandika clan during 1458-59AD. The temple is the tallest and as the name suggests is dedicated to Shri Parshav Nath Ji, the 23rd Jain Tirthankara.
- Shri Rishabha Dev Temple also known as the Peetalhar temple as almost all the statues in this temple are made up of Brass called Peetal in Hindi. The temple was built by Bhima Shah.
- Shri NemiNath Ji Temple was built by two brothers called Tejpal and Vastupal in 1230AD. It is also known by the name of Luna Vashi temple. The temple is dedicated to Shri Nemi Nath Ji who is worshipped as the 22nd saint in Jainism.
Gurushikhar
Gurushikhar is the highest peak in Mount Abu situated at a height of 1722 meters above the sea level. And obviously we had to climb up to reach the point. There is a temple of Guru Dattatreya at Gurushikhar. Guru Dattatreya is believed to be Lord Brahma’s incarnation. You will also see a large bell hung at the peak. The peak also has a shrine dedicated to Ahilya, the mother of Guru Dattatreya. The view the peak offers is breathtaking. There are railings that enclose the peak area at the top most point from where one can enjoy the view beyond. the breeze is strong and cool so be prepared to manage your hair in the wind.
Sunset Point
The Aravalli hills give a perfect view to the setting sun’s beauty and a perfect sight for you to enjoy. The guide took us to the point from where we could see the sun setting amidst the cool breeze. We took a lot of pictures there as the sight was amazingly beautiful as the sun became an orange red and spread its colors in the sky around. We just sat on a rock and relaxed as the sun set spreading beauty all around.
Nakki Lake
Located in the heart of the city the Nakki Lake is serene and beautiful. We went for boating in the waters of the Nakki Lake in the evening and the surrounding lights in the city made the lake shine beautifully. The breeze was cool and the ripples in the water of the lake shimmering and that made our evening perfect. During the time we spent in the lake our boatman told us about the legend behind that lead to the Lake being called Nakki. He told us that according to the mythology the lake was dug by the Gods using their nails (or nakh in hindi) and so the lake got its name as Nakkii. The lake is also considered as holy by some. Around the lake there are coffee shops and also vendors selling snacks and corns. You can also enjoy a bhutta (corn cob) there along with the scenic beauty. It is the perfect place to spend time with your friends, family or your partner and I advise you to keep it for the evening.
My conclusion
There are a number of restaurants in the city that offer a variety of food. Services for booking tickets, ATMs and food are readily available in the city of Mount Abu. A few shops which have handicrafts and brass made artifacts can be easily found in the main market area. Photographers are also readily available in and around some famous spots discussed above. One can also opt for photographs in traditional Rajasthani Costumes. If you know horse riding or would like to try there are options for you too. Mount Abu is a hill station blessed with enchanting beauty along with temples of historic and religious importance. However you do not need many days to explore the place. Three to four days are more than enough for a comfortable outing to this hilly abode. So if you want to go for a short and sweet trip Mount Abu is a very good option.
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