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"Do you want to go the hill station" asked Ranvir. "
Hill station in Rajasthan" amazingly I looked at him. He nodded.
Oh! finally a hill station, a cold environment with green lush trees and
flowing springs..all this and more came to my mind with the mare name of
hill station, little I knew that Mount Abu had not much temperature
difference than plains. Situated at the southern tip of the Aravali
range the hill retreat owes its cool climate to its rich flora covering
the entire hillside that includes coniferous trees and flowering shrubs.
The road leading to Mount Abu is a curved one characterized by arid
region dotted with huge rocks in weird shapes and high velocity winds. .
Its stunning array of exquisite Dilwara Jain Temples, dating back 11th-
13th centuries, make it a popular pilgrimage center.
"How would you like to go, by air, rail or road" asked
Ranvir. He told me that the city is well connected as the nearest
airport is at Udaipur, 184 kms.
Exploring Mount Abu!
"Tom, first we will cover the major monuments the Dilwara Temples."
he informed These breathtaking beautifully carved Jain temples, situated
two miles north of Mount Abu, date back to the 11th and 13th centuries.
He told me that they are amongst the finest temples, so intricately and
delicately wrought that they look as though they have been carved out of
ivory,rather than marble.
In the evening, I visited the Nakki Lake. Ranvir told me that the word
Nakki means finger nails, reflecting the belief that the lake was clawed
out of the earth by the fingernails of the gods. ?It is a pretty lake
surrounded by wooden hills being the focal point of the entire town. I
also tried boating, a popular pastime.
Oh ! yes, another important temple that I saw was the Adhar Devi Temple
- Just 3 kms outside the town, this entire temple has been cut out from
a single rock. The temple has a flight of some 200 steps and the place
offers a scene of sublime beauty. I store good memories about the hill
station.
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Mount
Abu
