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Places of Interest: Mount Abu - Ranakpur - Jalore

Mount Abu is located in the south - western corner of Rajasthan and is Rajasthan's only hill station. It is also a major pilgrim center. The Aravalli rangs that cuts across Rajasthan reacbes its greatest at the Guru Shikhar. Interestingly, not many people are aware that is also the highest point between the Nilgiris in the south and the Himalaya range up North.

The origin of Mount Abu goes back several centuries. The Padam Puran relates the story of how this holy city came into existence. Once Nandini, the cow belonging to the venerable sang Vashishtha, was trapped in a deep chasm and could not get herself free. When all efforts failed, the sage appealed to Lord Shiva for assistance.

Saraswati, the divine stream, flooded the pit and the cow floated up. Once his cow was free, Vashilshtha approached the great Himalaya and asked him to fill the gorge Permanently to avoid further mishaps. The youngest son of Himalaya, with the assistance of Arbud, the mighty snake filled the chasm. The place came to be called Mount Arbund and was later reduced to its present name.

For those keen to learn more about the history of Rajasthan it will be interesting to that this place was also the site for one of the most sacred rites- a yagya. This was performed by the salme sage Vashishtha for the purification of ancient fighting caste, the Kshatriyas. From this mystical free rose the mighty Rajputs who Later dominated the history of Rajasthan.

Places to Visit:

Due to the presence of these sages and seers this places became a holy retreat. But abu is a hill station with all the delightful spots necessary to make their trip interesting. The Nakki Lake is picturesquely set amidst hills and is believed to have been carved out by the gods with their nails. It is a popular spot for boating and the only artificial lake in India that is 1200mts above sea level. The surrounding hills have several areas of interest.

Be prepared to go for long walks and treks as you visit the spectacular Sunset Point, Toads Rock, and the beautifully sculpted hill temple of Gaumukh and Arbuda. Mount Abu was also an important Vaishnava and Shaivite pilgrim center up to the 11th century. Today, it is recognized the world over for its magnificent Jain temples.

No visit to Mount Abu can be complete without a trip to the famed Delwara temples. Let your mind be dazzled by the exquisite carvings on stone. When you look at these temples you find yourself at a loss for words to describe this sheer poetry in stone, this elegance in marble, as no description can really do justice to this beauty. These are better seen than described. More such marvellous carving can be found in the 15th century temple complex of Ranakpur.This is one of the five holy places of the Jain community. The most important temple is dedicated to Rishabhji and sprawls to some 48,000sq.ft. and has 29halls and 1444pillars, all distinctively carved. It is four faced and houses an idol of Adinath. Feel free to explore its various mandaps and study the intricate carving, your guide will point out the fact that no two pillars are alike-the carved design is different on each one. It makes you admire the skills of the stone carvers so many hundred years ago. The musical chimes of the temples bells, the gentle breeze flowing through the carved corridors in fact, the serenity of the surroundings tempts you to spend more relaxed moments here than you may have planned. Lush green hills with a wealth of flora and fauna, quiet surroundings and very little traffic make the drive to Ranakpur a very pleasant one. It is a peaceful area where you need not rush through the sight seeing.

When you move towards Jalore you are in fact moving to an altogether different landscape. It is a typical small town of Rajasthan where the hustle and bustle of the bigger cities is missing. Take time to get a taste of the countryside, explore the fort and the temples and see how the simple, unspoilt and friendly rural olk, live.



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