Introduction
Isn't it a surprise to see a hill station in the state, which is popularly considered, as the desert region? Situated at an altitude of 1,220 metres above sea level, Mt. Abu is the only hill station that you can hope to see in Rajasthan. Mount Abu is located around 264 km away from Jodhpur, the second biggest city of Rajasthan, and 509 km away from Jaipur, the state capital. Mount Abu is one of the most famous pilgrimage sites of the Jains and known for its grand Dilwara Jain Temples. Besides the temples and sites of historical importance, Mt. Abu is also rich in natural scenic beauties.

In the medieval times, Mt. Abu was a part of the Chauhan kingdom. Later it was later leased to the British by then Maharaja of Sirohi for use as the headquarters of the resident to Rajputana (another name for Rajasthan). Mount Abu was one of the favorite summer destinations of the British who drove to this hilly retreat to escape the dusty, dry heat of the plains.

According to the folklores, Mt. Abu was also the home of many saints and sages in ancient times. According to the legends, all the three hundred and thirty million gods and goddesses of the Hindu pantheon used to visit this holy mountain. This place is held in reverence by Jains since Lord Mahavira, the 24th Jain Tirthankara (spiritual leader), visited Mt. Abu and blessed the city.

MOUNT ABU - IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Altitude 1,220 metres above sea level Area 15.54 sq. km Language Rajasthani, Hindi Population 15,593 Best time to visit February-June and September-December STD Code 02974

MOUNT ABU - CLIMATE AND LOCATION
Climate
Situated 1,220 m above sea level, it has a very comfortable climate throughout the year. And because of this fact, Mount Abu can be visited all through the year, though the months from February to June and September to December are the most pleasant here. Light woollens for winters and light cotton for summers are the recommended clothing for Mount Abu.

Location
Mount Abu is located around 190 km away from Udaipur in the Southern Rajasthan. The town is well connected to most of the places in Rajasthan and neighboring Gujarat by roads and trains. Abu Road, the nearest railway station is located at a distance of around 27 km from Mount Abu and connected to cities across India.

MOUNT ABU - HISTORY AND LEGENDS
he history of Mount Abu is as diverse as the city itself. It was once a part of the Chauhan kingdom of Rajasthan and served as a summer resort for the Rajput kings of the region. After that Mount Abu was leased by the British government from the then Maharaja of Sirohi for use as the headquarter of the resident to Rajputana (another name for Rajasthan). During the British rule in India, it used to be the favorite summer destination of the British who came here to escape the dusty, dry heat of the plains particularly Rajasthan. It also served as a sanatorium for the troops. The small huts and cottages made by the British here tell the story of those times even today.

Mount Abu used to be the home of many saints and sages in the old times. Legend has it that all the three hundred and thirty million gods and goddesses of the Hindu pantheon used to visit this holy mountain. It is also the place where the great saint Vashishth lived and performed a yagna (sacrificial worship on a fire pit) to create four Agnikula (four clans of fire) to protect the earth from demons. The yagna was supposed to have been performed near a natural spring, which emerged from a rock shaped like a cow's head.

According to another legend, once sage Vashishth's cow Nandini was trapped in a deep gorge and could not free herself. The sage appealed to Lord Shiva for assistance. The Lord sent Saraswati, the divine stream, to help flood the gorge so that the cow could float up. Vashishth then decided to ensure that such mishaps would not occur in future and asked the youngest son of Himalaya, the king of mountains to fill the chasm permanently. This he did with the assistance of Arbud, the mighty snake. This spot came to be known as Mount Arbud and was later changed to its present form-Mount Abu.

This place is held in reverence by Jains as well since Jain scriptures record that Lord Mahavira, the 24th Jain Tirthankar (spiritual leader), also visited Mount Abu and blessed the city.

MOUNT ABU - SIGHTSEEING
The town is most famous for the stunning Dilwara Jain temples, built between the 11th and 13th century. These intricately carved marble temples are amazing to behold-not an inch of space has been left uncarved; almost, as if, in a frenzy of inspiration, the artists carved and carved till they could carve no more! Mount Abu also has a pretty lake studded with little islets.

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. Two brothers - Vastupal and Tejpal, ministers in the court of Raja Varadnawarkar, a ruler of Gujarat, built this temple. 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.

Nakki 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.

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.

Adhar Devi Temple
The Adhar Devi temple is situated at a distance of 3 km to the north of the city. The temple is built on a rock cleave and one has to crouch under the rock to enter the temple. There are 365 steps that take one to the rock on which the temple is built. This temple dedicated to Goddess Durga is regarded as one of the important pilgrimage sites of Mount Abu. This is also a good site to get a panoramic view of the valley.

Gaumukh Temple
Gaumukh Temple is located around 8 km southwest of Mount Abu. It is said that the temple was built on the spot where saint Vashishth performed a yagna to create four major Rajput clans. Next to it is the spring that is said to have emerged from the mouth of a rock shaped like a cow's head. This site now has a marble bull from whose mouth a stream of water flows. Nearby are statues of Nandi, saint Vashishth, Lord Ram, and Lord Krishna.

Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary
Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary is located some 8 km northeast of Mount Abu and spreads over an area of about 290 sq km. The sanctuary is home to a number of wild animals, birds, trees and herbs. Panthers, wild boars, and bears can be seen roaming about in this small but beautiful sanctuary.

MOUNT ABU - EXCURSIONS
The Aravalli Hills
This could be a daylong trekking adventure while visiting this granite hill range, the tailpiece of the Aravalli mountain range. The mountain covered with thick shrubs also gives a panoramic view of the area nearby. From Mount Abu, it is a daylong trip, which gives the traveller a chance to see the date palms and thorny acacias that abound in this region.

Achalgarh Fort
Situated about 11 km away from the main Abu town, the Achalgarh fort was built in the year AD 1452-1453. The Achaleshwar temple near this fort is a pilgrimage site where the toe prints of Lord Shiva are said to be embedded in a rock. Nearby is the Mandakini Tank, where the image of Adi Pal, a Paramar king, along with three large stone buffaloes pierced with an arrow is a major attraction.

According to a legend, the buffaloes were demons in disguise, who used to come to drink ghee (clarified butter) from the Mandakini that was said to be full of pure ghee. Adi Pal, one of the important characters of local legends, killed them with his arrow to save the ghee and the tank from the demons.

Guru Shikhar
Around 15 km away from the city this is the 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

AJMER - TRANSPORTATION
By Air
Udaipur, located some 190 km and Ahmedabad, located around 187 km from Mount Abu are the nearest airports. Ahmedabad is a large and better-connected airport in comparison to Udaipur. There are scheduled flights of the government operated as well as privately owned airlines from these airports.

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.

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. Most of the town can be explored on foot only.