Sunday, December 21, 2008

Mount Abu Tourism

Location : South West Rajasthan, 185 Km from Udaipur, and 465 Km from Jaipur
Must Visit : Dilwara Temple, Gaumukh Temple, Nakki Lake, Museum and Art Gallery
Temperature : Max 33.8 ºC, Min 23.3 ºC (summer); Max 20.3 ºC, Min 0 ºC (winter)
Languages : Hindi, Rajasthani and English
Ideal Time : Feb to June and Sept to December is the ideal time to visit Mt Abu
Mount Abu STD Code : 02974
Clothing : Light tropical (cotton) for summer and woolen for winter.

Once the tranquil retreat of meditating rishis, legend has it that it is home to 330 million gods and goddesses. For Rajputs this is the scene of the great Agni Kunda or sacred fire pit, from which 36 warrior clans emerged. By the 11th century, Mount Abu had become an important Jain center of pilgrimage. Over the next two centuries, many spectacular marble temples were built here. In the 15th century Rana Kumbha of Mewar, who built a fortress here, conquered these hills.

Attractions
Dilwara Temples: At a very short distance of 5 km lie the wonderfully carved Jain temples dating back to the 11th and 13th centuries A.D. Rated as among the finest of Indian temples, it is recommended that any visitor to Rajasthan include them on his itinerary. The marble architecture here is comparable with the best.

Vimala - Vasahi Temple: This is the oldest temple in the complex, built in 1030 A.D. by Vimala Shah, a minister in the Government of Gujarat, to atone for his earthly sins. He dedicated it to Adinath, the first of the Jain tirthankaras, and the central shrine has an image of Adinath. The massive work involved in the temple took fourteen years to complete. The temple has been designed in an austere fashion on the outside but the ornate feeling strikes you immediately as you enter through the gateway.

Neminath Temple: two brothers, Vastupal and Tejpal built this temple in 1230 A.D. It is said that gold and silver, equivalent in weight to that of the marble was given to the workers who worked on or sculpted the temple. Built in the Solanki style of architecture, the temple has a wonderful lotus flower piece hanging from the central dome in the porch. Shaped like a collection of half-open lotuses it is so exquisitely carved it has a translucent quality.

Luna Vashi Temple: Built in 1232 A।D., this temple is similar, but smaller than the Vimila -Vashi Temple. Its carved ornamentation is magnificent indeed. The masterpiece of the Dilwara complex is the ranga mandapa of the Luna- Vashi, with its superb ceiling, from the center of which hangs a clustered marble pendant. On a nearby frieze are sixty-eight dancers in different postures. There are two other temples in the complex, dedicated to Parshavantha and Adinatha.

Mount Abu Excursions
Travel attractions of Mount Abu are Nakki Lake, Achalgarh Fort, Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary, Trevor's Tank and Dilwara

There are limited excursions around Mt. Abu, Rajasthan. A list of some Mount Abu excursions is given below:

Trevor's Tank
Trevor's tank is situated approximately 5 km from Mount Abu. It is named after the British engineer who got it constructed. The main attractions of the tank are the pigeons, peacocks and partridges that can be easily seen by the birdwatchers in the densely wooded hills nearby.

Achalgarh Fort
Located approximately 8 km from Mt. Abu is the Achalgarh Fort. Rana Kumbha got the fort constructed in the 14th century. It is mainly famous for some beautiful Jain temples enclosed inside it. Among all the temples, the significant ones include Achaleswar Mahadev temple (built in 1412 A.D.) and Kantinath Jain Temple (built in 1513 A।D.).

Tourist Attractions Of Mount Abu
This write up on Mount abu tours contains information on sightseeing and tourism in Mount Abu/Mt abu of Rajasthan, India

Tourist attractions of Mount Abu include a number of temples, view points, gardens, parks, etc. Given below are is a list of the places to see in Mount Abu:

Gaumukh Temple
Gaumukh temple served as the venue for Sage Vashishtha's yagna. The temple has got its name from a nearby natural spring that surges through a carved cow's head. Forming the background of the temple is a sculpted hill temple of Arbuada (the mighty serpent). Close to it is a splendid marble image of Nandi, a celestial bull that Arbuada rescued.

Dilwara Jain Temple
Mt Abu, Rajasthan sightseeing tour is incomplete without a visit to the famous Dilwara Jain temples. Built between 11th and 13th century AD, these temples are made up of carved marble. The temples are dedicated to the Jain Tirthankaras. There are five Dilwara temples in Mt. Abu. Out of these, the oldest one is Vimal Vasahi, dedicated to the first Tirthankara. All the Dilwara temples are a marvelous example of temple architecture.

How To Reach Mount Abu
Mount Abu is a popular tourist station in Rajasthan। Apart from a tourist station/hill station of repute, Mount Abu is a pilgrim destination as well.

Air:
Udaipur is the nearest airport, which is 185 km away from Mount Abu. There are regular and direct flights to Delhi, Mumbai and Jaipur from Udaipur. You can take taxis/buses from Udaipur to reach mount Abu.

Rail:
Abu Road, 28 km away, is the nearest railway station. The Mount Abu road railway station is well connected to Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Jaipur and Jodhpur.

Road:
Mount Abu is well connected by road with major cities of Rajasthan and India such as Delhi, Ajmer, Bundi and Udaipur. State roadways and private buses/taxis operate between Mount Abu and other cities/towns of Rajasthan and the neighboring areas.

Agra: 735 km Via Ajmer, Jaipur, Bharatpur

Ajmer: 360 km via Sirohi, Pali Beawar

Ahmedabad: 222 km via Palanpur, 250 km via Ambaji

Mumbai: 751 km Abu Road, Ahmedabad, Baroda

Delhi: 752 km Pali, Ajmer, Jaipur

Jaipur: 490 km via Sirohi, Pali, Ajmer

Jodhpur: 267 km via Sirohi, Pali, Ajmer

Dilwara Jain Temples
Dilwara Jain Temples are located in Mount Abu, which is the only hill station in Rajasthan

Location: Mount Abu, Rajasthan

Highlight: Splendid temple architecture

Best Time to Visit: October to March

How to Reach: The nearest airport is at a distance of 185 kilometers at Udaipur. The railway is at a distance of 28 kilometers and from here one can hire a cab or an auto to reach Dilwara Jain Temple.

Dilwara Jain Temples
located in Mount Abu are considered as one of the finest specimens of temple architecture. Mount Abu is the only hill station of Rajasthan. In fact, the architectural style is so wonderful that some consider it superior to even the Taj Mahal. The Dilwara Temples of Mt. Abu are famous for their fine and beautiful carvings done in marble. There are four main temples inside the Dilwara Jain Temples:
  1. Adinath Temple
  2. Parshvanath Temple
  3. Vimal Vasahi Temple
  4. Luna Vasahi
Out of the four, the Vimal Vasahi and the Luna Vasahi temples are considered to be the most outstanding examples of architecture. These temples are the finest Jain Temples in India. A visit to the Dilwara Jain Temples is sure to make your jaws drop down in wonder। The carvings are so delicate and divine that one actually feels like they are alive. The carvings are also highly poetic in nature. The carvings have been done in the most strenuous yet different way by the artisans.

Mount Abu Summer Festival
Mount Abu is known for its precipitous rocks, serene lakes, picturesque locations and lovely climate। The Summer Festival features ballads, Gair, Ghoomar and Daph folk dances, which enchant the spectators with their grace and variety.

Time : June

Venue : Mount Abu

How to Reach : The nearest airport is Udaipur (185 km) while the nearest railway station is Abu Road (28 km). Mt. Abu is well connected by road with almost all the major cities of the country.

Significance : It highlights the traditions, culture and the tribal life of Rajasthan.

Highlights : Rajasthan folk music and dance, boat race on the Nakki Lake, Sham-e-Qawwali (a musical extravaganza), etc

Shopping In Mount Abu
Mount Abu is an enchanting hill resort in Rajasthan. Shopping in Mount Abu is going to be an enthralling experience as the markets of Mount Abu are stacked with a variety of handicrafts from Rajasthan and the neighboring state of Gujarat
This Mount Abu shopping guide will tell you about the various shopping places and popular shopping items of the city. Tourists who come to see the beautiful Dilwara temples, also visit Mount Abu shopping destinations to take home momentos and souvenirs for their loved ones. Out of all the shopping places in Mt. Abu, Rajasthan, the most famous one is the market around Nakki Lake, called Nakki Maal.

Following is a list of some of the famous items that you can shop for in Mount Abu:

Mount Abu Weather
In this article we provide information about the weather, climate and climatic conditions of Mount (Mt) Abu in Rajasthan, India

Mount Abu is the only hill station in the state of Rajasthan. Situated at an altitude of 1,219 meters above sea level, it experiences a moderate climate. In summers, Mount Abu weather is dry and sunny, but not too hot.

The average temperature falls in the range of 33.8° C (max) to 5° C (min). The climatic conditions of Mt. Abu, Rajasthan in the winter season are mild and pleasant. The average temperature ranges around 28.3° C (max) to11.6 deg C (min). During monsoons, the climate of Mount Abu experiences moderate rainfall, in the range of 65-177 cm. The best time to visit Mt Abu is either in the months of Feb - June or in the months of Sept - Dec.


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