Mount Abu, the only hill-station in the desert state of Rajasthan is one of the most popular in our country. It is located in the Aravalli Range in the Sirohi district near the border with Gujarat at an approximate elevation of around 1,220 meters above sea level, the highest point being ‘Guru Shikhar’ at a recorded height of 1,722 meters above sea level.
The scenic beauty of the city is unmatched for and it is a pleasant retreat due to its cool climate owing to the flora draping the entire hillside. It is a favorite for the people of Rajasthan and Gujarat when they are in need of a desperate break from the scorching heat of the states.
This city not only serves as a great tourist place but also holds a prominent place in the history of our country. ’Abu’ according to a legend, stands for the ’son of Himalayas’, derived from the word ‘Arbuada’ the powerful serpent who rescued Nandi, the sacred bull of Lord Shiva, from a chasm. It is believed to be the home of many saints and sages in the ancient times and that this was the place where the famous saint Vashishth retired. During the rule of the great Rajputs, this mountain terrain had been the sanctuary for regional warriors because of the strategic topography of the city which help them keep track of the attackers of the enemies.
There are several interesting places to visit while at a tour to the city, the first and foremost being the Nakki Lake. A lot of attributes of this lake makes it extremely intriguing to the visitors. On one hand, it is the largest manmade lake in India and on the other hand, it is romantically called the love lake of the city. It is also a sacred lake for the Garacia tribe who visit the lake on their festival in Shukla Paksha in August to worship their ancestors.
Delwara Jain Temples constitute of five temples all belonging to different centuries. Shri Adhinathji temple and Shri Neminathji temple are built completely of white marble with exuberant carvings and ornamentation work on the walls, doors, pillars, mandaps, torahs and ceilings. The designs are unique and depict a vast variety of scenes of Gods and Goddesses and great men from the Jain and Hindu Mythologies.
The only way to portray the quintessential of Igneous rocks, Toad Rock is the mascot of this wonderful city. Perched over a hill, it directly overlooks the love lake Nakki and is the most frequented point in the itinerary of all the visitors. It is an appetising site for people seeking a unique picnic spot and mainly attracts the attention for the excited mountaineers.
As mentioned earlier, Guru Shikhar is the highest point in Rajasthan and is only 15 km away from Mount Abu. It has a breathtaking view Mount Abu and its surroundings. Visitors mainly climb to the peak to visit the temple of Dattatreya, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu and peak is also named after him as he had dignified this place and as an evidence his footprints are sanctified there in a rock in a cave. There is also a giant bell suspended from a wooden frame with an inscription dated 1411 in the temple.
Constructed in 1897 A.D., the Travor Tanks was a memorial by H.H. Maharajdhiraj Maharao Kesari Singhvi Bahadur of Sirohi to his friend Col. G.H. Trevor who was an agent to the Governor General of India. It is one of the best places to spot animals along with Salim Ali Point, where the great Ornithologist spent hours watching birds and writing his masterpiece “Birds of Aravalli”. The newly built Eco tourism site, is a beautiful site where one can attach a tent and live among the wild and under the starry sky, with romanticism filled air.
