Rajasthan News Desk !!! While nature has blessed Rajasthan with deserts and mountains, nature has also gifted Rajasthan with a cool and green hill station like Mount Abu, which is called the Kashmir of the desert. India’s first man-made Nikki Lake is located here, whose depth is said to be about 11000 feet.
Gurushikhar, the highest peak of the Aravalli mountain range, is located here, whose height is about seventeen hundred and seventy two meters. Many centuries-old Jain temples are located in Dilwara here, along with this, this area of the Nilgiri hills is also home to many wildlife sanctuaries and national parks. Along with Jain temples, there are hundreds of temples that have great recognition in Hinduism, so come with us in today’s video on an amazing journey to Mount Abu, the only hill station of Rajasthan.
Mount Abu, located at an altitude of twelve hundred and twenty meters above sea level, is also considered the paradise of Rajasthan. Situated on the Nilgiri hills, Mount Abu’s geographical location and atmosphere is much cooler and picturesque than other cities of Rajasthan. Along with this, Mount Abu is a major pilgrimage site for both Hindu and Jain religions. The historical temples and natural beauty here attract tourists.
Mount Abu got recognition as a hill station during the British period. After which, under British rule, Mount Abu remained the favorite place of the British to escape the summer of the plains of Rajasthan. On the other hand, due to the mythological importance of Mount Abu, it has been the residence of sages and saints from the beginning. Situated in the Aravalli Range, this hill station is known for its calm and lush green environment. Talking about the tourist places of this hill station nestled in the lap of nature, there are many major pilgrimage sites of Hindu and Jain religions along with many historical places, these mainly include Guru Shikhar, Sunset Point, Toad Rock, Achalgarh Fort, Nakki Lake and Dilwara Temples. So let’s know about the main attractions of Mount Abu Hill Station
Nakki Lake
Mount Abu has a Nakki Lake located in the Aravalli range, which is also known locally as Nakki Lake. This lake is considered to be a paradise for nature lovers, as this lake filled with amazing natural scenery is indeed the most prominent attraction of Mount Abu. Nakki Lake is India’s first man-made lake with a depth of about 11,000 meters and a width of one mile. Situated in the center of Mount Abu, this attractive lake is surrounded by lush green mountains, forests and strangely shaped rocks. Boating in the blowing winds and soothing temperatures of Mount Abu will make your heart happy. It is said that in Nakki Lake, the ashes of Mahatma Gandhi were immersed on 12 February 1948 and after this Gandhi Ghat was built here. This lake is a very popular place for nature lovers and photography enthusiasts.
Guru Peak
Guru Shikhar is the highest peak of the Aravalli Range which is located at a distance of about 15 km from Mount Abu. The height of this peak is 1722 meters above sea level, due to which a very attractive view of the Aravalli Range and the hill station of Mount Abu is seen from here. This place has Abu Observatory and the cave temple of Guru Dattatreya which is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. The observatory has a 112 meter infrared telescope. After a 15 km drive, you have to climb some stairs to reach Guru Shikhar. If you visit this place during October and November, then there are a lot of clouds and fog here. The tourists coming here at this time feel as if they are going to Guru Shikhar with the help of clouds because fog is visible all around. This place delights the mind of the tourists coming here.
Achalgarh Fort
Achalgarh Fort, located at a distance of 11 km from Mount Abu, is one of the famous forts of Rajasthan. Achalgarh village is a picturesque village in Mount Abu which is famous for Achalgarh Fort, Achaleshwar Temple and historical Jain temples. The fort complex has the famous Shiva temple, Achaleshwar Mahadev temple and Mandakini lake. A statue of Nandi ji is also installed in the center of Achaleshwar Mahadev which is made of 5 metals like bronze, gold, zinc, copper and brass. Achalgarh Fort remains a famous place to visit for history lovers as well as pilgrims. Where many historical remains and old temples of great religious importance remain a center of attraction for tourists. Achalgarh Fort was originally built during the reign of the Parmara dynasty, and after some time Maharana Kumbha rebuilt the Achalgarh Fort in 1452 with the aim of keeping an eye on every enemy. Which was one of the 32 forts built during his reign. And after some time around 1530 a Jain temple was also built inside the fort.
Toad Rock View Point
Toad Rock View Point is located near Nakki Lake which gives you a panoramic view of the entire lake and the surrounding area. The place is named after a naturally formed rock that resembles a tortoise from the shore. The rock clearly resembles a toad and hence is named “Toad Rock”. Some believe that it is actually named after Colonel Toad, a British army officer who is credited with discovering Mount Abu. The trail to Toad Rock starts near Nakki Lake and involves climbing 250 steps to reach the top.
Dilwara Jain Temple
Dilwara Jain Temple is the most popular and beautiful pilgrimage site of Jains located among the Aravalli Hills of Rajasthan. This temple was built by Vastupal and Tejpal between the 11th and 13th centuries. Dilwara Temple is famous for its intricate carvings and marble structure. This temple looks very simple from outside but when you see this temple from inside, you will be attracted by the designs made on its ceiling, walls, arches and pillars. Apart from being a pilgrimage site for Jains, this temple is such a magical structure made of marble, which attracts everyone.
Peace Park
Nestled between two famous peaks of the Aravalli range, Guru Shikhar and Achalgarh, is Peace Park, which is a part of the Brahma Kumaris establishment. The park offers a peaceful environment and a serene and quiet atmosphere, along with a relaxing life in a beautiful backdrop. A guided tour of the park is also conducted by Brahma Kumaris and you can also watch a short video film here, which explains entertaining methods of yoga and meditation.
Mount Abu Sanctuary
There is no dearth of wildlife sanctuaries in Rajasthan. One of the important sanctuaries among them is the Mount Abu Sanctuary. This sanctuary is spread over a large area across the oldest mountain range of Aravalli and has a large number of wildlife. Visitors to Mount Abu can also see various species of trees, plants, flowering trees and various species of birds in this sanctuary. It is home to endangered animals. Jackals, bears, wild boars, langurs, sal (large lizard), rabbits, mongoose, thorny wild rats etc. are also found here. About 250 types of birds also make this sanctuary a paradise for bird lovers.
Red Temple
Located near the Delwara Jain Temple, this temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. This temple provides a very peaceful environment and is considered to be the oldest of all the holy places located in Mount Abu. The reason behind the name of this ‘Red Temple’ is the fact that all its walls are painted in red color. For devotees and tourists with religious faith, this place is a must visit in Mount Abu. This temple is very popular because it is a ‘Swayambhu Shiva Temple’. It got this name because the idol of Lord Shiva installed in this temple can be seen wearing a sacred thread.
Mount Abu is situated in the Aravalli Hills in the Sirohi district of Rajasthan at an altitude of 1220 meters. To reach here you can use any route like road, rail or air.
By Rail: Mount Abu Railway Station is well connected to other states of the country like Delhi, Jaipur, Mumbai and Ahmedabad. You can take Porbandar Express, Jodhpur Express, Ajmer Express and Ala Hazrat Express to reach here. After reaching Mount Abu Railway Station, you can either hire a private taxi or cab or take state transport.
By flight: The nearest airport to Mount Abu is Dabok Airport which is located in Udaipur. This airport is about 185 km away from Mount Abu city. Apart from this, the second nearest airport to Mount Abu is Ahmedabad Airport. You can also land here if you want. This airport is located at a distance of about 221 km from Mount Abu city. By bus: If you want to go by bus, then many buses of Rajasthan State Transport Corporation run from different states to Mount Abu.
