Mount Abu, the only hill-station in Rajasthan, India, is situated on an isolated plateau of Aravali range of hills about 4000 feet above sea level.  It’s a summer capital of Rajasthan and is home to lakes, waterfalls and green forests. It has a very cool climate due to its rich flora covering the entire hillside that includes coniferous trees and flowering shrubs.
Mount Abu is a tourist attraction for reasons from natural beauty to historical and architectural places.  The famous Delwara Jain temples are situated at Delwara village about 2½ Km’s from the beautiful city of Mt. Abu. The temples are an architectural marvel carved in pristine marble, and the design and accuracy of workmanship is unbelievable. The temple dates back to 11th and 12th century A.D. There are 5 temples belonging to different centuries that constitute Delwara: Vimal Vasahi (Shri Adinathji temple),  Luna Vasahi (Shri Neminathji temple), Pithalhar (Shri Rishabh Deoji temple),  Khartar Vasahi (Shri Parshavnathji temple), Mahaveer Swami (Shri Mahaveer Swamiji temple).

The historical Achalgarh fort, was built in the 14th century by Rana Kumbha of Mewar, the valiant Rajput ruler of Mewar.  He was an esteemed designer and this huge fortress alongside the other thirty two is a notable example of his skills. The fortress is surrounded by massive battlement walls and is situated at the top of a mountain peak whereby the 15th century fortresses and the temples are enclosed within the fortified walls. Another must visit temple is the 9th century Achleshwar temple which houses the famous  Nandi which is made of 5 metals, fold, silver, copper, brass and zinc ( Panchadhattu) and weighs more than 4 tons. There are also many other sculpted idols which are made of a crystal like stone called Spatik in Hindi.

In the heart of the hill is the  Nakki Lake, is another popular visitor attraction of Mount Abu. It is a very ancient sacred Lake, according to the Hindu legend is believed to be dug out by the Gods with their nails (Nakh in Hindi) and hence the name Nakki Lake. Boat rides and Horse rides outside the lake are available.

The Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary is the perfect place to enjoy some splendid scenic beauty and a variety of species of birds and animals. The Sanctuary spreads over 7 kilometers in length and 300 meters in width. This area was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1960. The floral and fauna that inhabits this sanctuary is reflective of the rich wildlife of the region.

Best time to Visit: January to June and Oct to December
How to Reach
By Air: Nearest Airport is Udaipur airport (185 km)
By Rail : Nearest Railway Station is Abu Road railway station  (28 km from Mount Abu)
By Road: A good road network links Mount Abu with the key cities in India and buses & taxis are available to and from cities like Delhi, Ajmer, Bundi, Jaipur, Ahmedabad and Udaipur.

This entry was posted on Friday, January 22nd, 2010 at 2:52 am and is filed under Hill Station. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.