| "Do you want to go the hill station"
asked Ranvir. " Hill station in Rajasthan"
amazingly I looked at him. He nodded. Oh! finally a
hill station, a cold environment with green lush trees
and flowing springs..all this and more came to my mind
with the mare name of hill station, little I knew that
Mount Abu had not much temperature difference than plains.
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.
. Its stunning array of exquisite Dilwara Jain Temples,
dating back 11th- 13th centuries, make it a popular
pilgrimage center.
"How would you like to go, by air, rail or road"
asked Ranvir. He told me that the city is well connected
as the nearest airport is at Udaipur, 184 kms.
Exploring Mount Abu!
"Tom, first we will cover the major monuments the
Dilwara Temples." he informed These breathtaking
beautifully carved Jain temples, situated two miles
north of Mount Abu, date back to the 11th and 13th centuries.
He told me that they are amongst the finest temples,
so intricately and delicately wrought that they look
as though they have been carved out of ivory,rather
than marble.
In the evening, I visited the Nakki Lake. Ranvir told
me that the word Nakki means finger nails, reflecting
the belief that the lake was clawed out of the earth
by the fingernails of the gods. ?It is a pretty lake
surrounded by wooden hills being the focal point of
the entire town. I also tried boating, a popular pastime.
Oh ! yes, another important temple that I saw was the
Adhar Devi Temple - Just 3 kms outside the town, this
entire temple has been cut out from a single rock. The
temple has a flight of some 200 steps and the place
offers a scene of sublime beauty. I store good memories
about the hill station.
GETTING INTO THE CITY
As the anticipation of the approaching
destination heightens one doesn't mind the shaking bus
quite that much and as you turn the final curve into
the city, greeted by large hoardings of different hotels,
all promising better deals than the other, Rajasthan's
little jewel puts its best foot forward. The shops on
both sides of the road are glitteringly alive, as late
as 10 p.m. on a winter night and the residents of Mount
Abu mob you in welcome. Well not exactly the residents
it turns out, they are all touts for hotels but they
make you feel welcome. In case it is a winter trip that
you are planning, one can just arrive in Abu, at any
time of the night or day, employ a wheelbarrow, which
will take your luggage all over Abu for few rupees while
you check out a place to stay. This is, in fact the
best time to visit if the cold does not bother you too
much (it is usually warmer than a Delhi winter). All
hotels are available at half rates and the best of rooms
can be yours for a rate that suits your budget.
Abu in summer is definitely a retreat from the heat
of the plains. A summer visit requires careful planning,
and rooms should be booked at least two months in advance.
Everything, from hotels to restaurants, to transport
is at double the rates, and beware of the new monster
- the Marti's, in every color which cover the landscape
and race pugnaciously around the hills. Yet, the little
township is well prepared to handle tourists. Tourist
buses show you around the places of interest twice a
day and the bus guide provides a background, history
and of course his own interpretations on everything
you visit. Information is also available from a tourist
guide office, but even without guidance there are certain
places that simply cannot be missed on a visit to Abu.
ABU'S INTERESTING PLACES
TO VISIT
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.
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, 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 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.
ABU'S OTHER SITES TO
SEE
Like all other hill stations, Abu too,
has its horse rides, honeymoon and sunset points. Sunset
point here is definitely worthy a visit. An entire hill
has been carved into several layers, top to bottom and
as the sun begins to lower itself in the sky, and the
entire hill is crowded with people covered in the golden
glow of the setting sun.
CUISINE
Apart from the sight seeing, which in
itself is delightful, Abu is a gourmet's paradise. Its
cosmopolitan cuisine offers a wide variety of food -
Maharashtrian dishes, Gujarati, Rajasthani, south Indian,
Punjabi, Chinese or Continental. Abu shopkeepers and
restaurant owners take special pride in keeping their
shops shining clean, and also make a special effort
to please their customer's. It's good plea to try out
a different restaurant, and a different meal everyday,
but one should not leave Abu without trying the pao
bhaji, at Hot Spot, a fast food restaurant, and the
Rajasthani thali at the Jodhpur Bhojnalaya.
VISITING MOUNT ABU
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.
WHERE TO STAY
A number of options, according to the
budget allocation of the tourists, are available in
Abu. The accommodation level ranges from a highly luxurious
hotel to a dormitory. But rooms should be booked well
in advance if willing to visit this exotic hill station
during summer.
WHERE TO EAT
Number of eateries and restaurant are
available serving different delicacies and cuisine.
Local Transport
Buses ply regularly from Mount Abu to
Dilwara and Acgalgarg, Taxis are easily available for
any destination. A unique form of transport is the baby
pram.
SHOPPING
Rajasthan Emporium is located on Raj
Bhawan Road. There are several jewelry shops on the
road leading to the lake.
TOURIST INFORMATION
Tourist office under the Rajasthan Tourism
Development Corporation is available at the city area
from where one can easily get the information easily
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