Nakki Lake in Mount Abu


Overview

State: Rajasthan
Distance: 754 Km SW of Delhi
By Road: 16hrs
Location: Mount Abu sits, 4000 ft above sea level in the Aravalli Hills near Rajasthan's south-western border

Fast Fact

  • Best time to visit Mount Abu

    The one place in Rajasthan recommended in summer and winter

Located in the Aravalli Range in Sirohi District of Rajasthan, Mount Abu is 58 km from Palanpur, Gujrat. Mount Abu is an extremely popular hill station that provides you an assurance of a pleasing journey throughout your trip.

The hill range forms a unique plateau 22 km long and 9km wide. Positioned at a height of 1,220 m (4,003 ft), Mount Abu continues to be the only hill station in Rajasthan. 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.

Mount Abu holds great importance in the Hindu and Jain Mythology because of the wide variety of significant events that are believed to have occurred here. Today, it functions as a pilgrim to the Jain and Hindu saints.

This hill station is named after a serpent named "Arbuda" which saved the life of Nandi - Lord Shiva's bull from a chasm. It was initially termed as "Arbudaranya," however, it gradually became Abu.

History
Mount Abu region is said to be the original abode of the famous Gurjars. The association of the Gurjars with the mountain is noticed in many inscriptions and epigraphs. These Gurjars (Gujars or Gujjars) migrated from Arbuda mountain region as early as sixth century A.D. Almost all or a larger part of Rajasthan and Gujarat had been known as Gurjaratra (country ruled or protected by the Gurjars) prior to mughal period.

It is also believed that sage Vasishtha retired to the southern spur at Mount Abu following his differences with sage Vishvamitra.

The mountain is also home to several Hindu temples, including the Adhar Devi Temple (also known as Arbuda Devi Temple), carved out of solid rock; the Shri Raghunathji Temple; and a shrine and temple to Dattatreya built atop the Guru Shikhar peak and a number of Jain temples including Dilwara, a complex of temples carved of white marble that was built between the 11th and 13th centuries AD. The oldest of these is the Vimal Vasahi temple, built in 1021 AD by Vimal Shah and dedicated to the first of the Jain Tirthankaras and they include the Achaleswar Mahadev Temple (1412) and the Kantinath Temple (1513). It is also the location of "Madhuban", the headquarters of the Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University.

  • Place to visit in Mount Abu

    Mount Abu has been a popular refuge from the heat of Rajasthan and neighboring Gujarat for centuries. Some of the best places to visit there are:

    Gaumukh Temple
    Gaumukh (literal meaning- Cow Head) is a sculpture of a holy bull that belonged to Lord Shiva which was rescued by Arbuada, the mighty serpent, from his chasm. The famous yagna of sage Vashishtha was performed here. A beautiful natural spring flowing through this shrine, is a site, holy to all Hindu pilgrims who visit here every year to pay homage.

    Dilwara Jain Temple
    These beautifully carved temples built between 11th and 13th century A.D. are sheer elegance in marble, dedicated to the jain Tirthankaras. .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. With door casings, pillars, architraves,and sculptures on porticos, the temple is a fine specimen of craftsmanship.

    Adhar Devi Temple
    This is extremely famous for its architecture as it has been chiselled out of a huge rock and can only be reached by a flight of 360 stairs.

    Honeymoon Point
    Also known as Andra Point offers the most captivating beauty of the verdant plains and valleys for you to enjoy with your loved ones. The place looks most beautiful during the dusk hours.

    Museum and Art Gallery
    Located at the Raj Bhawan, it was a collection of archaeological excavations dating back to 8th-12th century A.D. It also has Jain bronze carvings and their brass works on display.

    Guru Shikhar
    The highest peak on the mountain is Guru Shikhar, at 1,722 metres (5,650 ft) above sea level. It is referred to as 'an oasis in the desert', as its heights are home to rivers, lakes, waterfalls and lush evergreen forests. There is certain serenity about the temple built atop this peak. The temple might just have stepped out of a fairy tale, with only a small portion in pink jutting out of an otherwise plain white chalk building surrounded with thriving greenery all around it.

    Shri Raghunathji Temple
    Situated near the 'Nakki' lake, this is a temple dedicated to Shri Raghunathji with a beautiful image of the deity which was placed here in 14th century A.D. by Shri Ramanand, the famous Hindu preacher.

    Nakki Lake (The Lake)
    Situated in the heart of The Achalgarh fort (built in the 14th century by Rana Kumbha of Mewar) 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 has several islands 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. is nearby and at its center is the popular visitor attraction of the Nakki Lake.

    Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary
    The Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary (since 1960) is about 7 kilometres long and only 300 metres wide. This means that while you take the long walk down The Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary you won't miss much on either side.

    The Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary is located in one of the regions oldest mountain ranges- The Aravali. The area was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1960. The Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary is full of floral beauty. There is an evergreen forest that meets the water and the valleys on the other side. The Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary houses around 112 plant families with 449 genera and 820 species. You can also find many orchids at the Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary. Don't forget the many roses and bamboo rich areas. There are over 250 species of bird- including the popular grey jungle fowl. The Mount Abu Wildlife sanctuary also houses leopard sloth bear, wild boar, sambar, chinkara and langur amongst others. Many of the animals in the sanctuary are extremely rare and threatened.

    It is believed that the lion and tiger once populated the region, but cats of this variety have not been in the season for a long time.
  • Mount Abu Popular Excursions:

    Trevors Tank (5 km): Named after the British engineer who constructed it, Trevors Tank is a delight for birdwatchers with densely wooded hills that are a haven to pigeons, peacocks and partridges.

    Achalgarh (8 km): An impressive fort with some beautiful jain temples enclosed within. Among the noteworthy temples are Achaleswar Mahadev Temple (1412 A.D.) and Kantinath Jain Temple (1513 A.D.). The Fort was built in the 14th century A.D. by Rana Kumbha and is approachable by a motorable road.
  • How to travel in Mount Abu

    Nearest airports to Mount Abu are Udaipur and Ahmedabad. Abu Road (27 kms) is the railhead in Mount Abu. Taxis and Jeeps are always available from Abu Road to Mount Abu.
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