Mount
Abu
Honeymoons are remembered…Cherished…and relived
time and again…as they change
the course of your life…as love will enter your life…and joy will dance with
you…it will be a prelude to much happiness…
I’ becomes a ‘we’. a feeling that “…the rest of the world is closed and only you two exist.
Mount Abu is Rajasthan's only hill station and major pilgrim centre. It is 187 km away from Ahmedabad in Gujarat. It is located in the southwestern corner of Rajasthan. Surrounded by forests, rich in flora and fauna, the town appears as an oasis. The drive uphill along Abu Road overlooks an arid region strewn by huge rocks with smooth surfaces and weird shapes, fashioned by high velocity winds.
'Abu' according to a legend, stands for the son of Himalaya, deriving its name from Arbuada, the powerful snake who rescued Nandi, the sacred bull of Lord Shiva, from a chasm. Mt. Abu was dedicated to lord Shiva before it became a Jain pilgrim centre. The greatest draw to this place is the Dilwara Temples.
Here are the some sights we visited.
The Dilwara Temple :
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.
These
beautifully carved temples built between 11th and 13th century A.D. are sheer
elegance in marble, dedicated to the Jain Tirthankaras. The Vimal Vasathi temple
is the oldest of these dedicated to the first Tirthankara. Built in 1031 A.D.
(by Vimal Shah - A merchant and representative of the then Gujarat ruler), it is
a superb example of temple architecture. The central shrine has an image of
Rishabhdev and large courtyard with 52 small shrines, each housing a beautiful
statue of thirthankaras with 48 elegantly carved pillars form the entrance to
the courtyard.
Nakki Lake:
A
tiny lake, picturesquely set amid hills. It is the only artificial lake in India
that is 1200 mts above sea level.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 highest peak
Arbuda Devi
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.
Sunset Point:
Spectacular sight of the setting sun when the hills are covered in the golden glow can be viewed from here. 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. Next