Mount Abu () is a hill station in the

Aravalli Range The Aravalli Range (also spelled ''Aravali'') is a mountain range in Northern-Western India, running approximately in a south-west direction, starting near Delhi, passing through southern Haryana, Rajasthan, and ending in Ahmedabad Gujarat. ...

Sirohi district Sirohi District is a district of Rajasthan state in western India. The city of Sirohi is the district headquarters. As of 2011 it is the third least populous district of Rajasthan (out of 33), after Jaisalmer and Pratapgarh. History In ...

of the state of Rajasthan in western India.The mountain forms a rocky plateau 22 km long by 9 km wide. The highest peak on the mountain is

Guru Shikhar Guru Shikhar, a peak in the Arbuda Mountains of Sirohi district in Rajasthan, is the highest point of the Aravalli Range and Rajasthan. It rises to an elevation of . It is 75 km from Sirohi city, the district headquarter and 15 km from ...

at above sea level. It is referred to as 'an oasis in the desert' as its heights are home to rivers, lakes, waterfalls and evergreen forests. The nearest train station is Abu Road railway station 28 km away.

History

The ancient name of Mount Abu is Arbuda. In the

Puranas Purana (; sa, , '; literally meaning "ancient, old"Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of Literature (1995 Edition), Article on Puranas, , page 915) is a vast genre of Indian literature about a wide range of topics, particularly about legends an ...

, the region has been referred to as ''Arbudaranya'' ("forest of ''Arbhuda''") and 'Abu' is a diminutive of this ancient name. It is believed that sage

Vashistha Vasishtha ( sa, वसिष्ठ, IAST: ') is one of the oldest and most revered Vedic rishis or sages, and one of the Saptarishis (seven great Rishis). Vashistha is credited as the chief author of Mandala 7 of the ''Rigveda''. Vashishtha a ...

retired to the southern spur at Mount Abu following his differences with sage Vishvamitra. There is another history story according to which a serpent named "Arbuda" saved the life of Nandi (Lord Shiva's bull). The incident happened on the mountain that is currently known as Mount Abu and so the mountain is named "Arbudaranya" after that incident which gradually became Abu. According to a legend, the sage

performed a yajna at the peak of Mount Abu, to seek from the gods a provision for the defense of righteousness on earth. In answer to his prayer, a youth arose from the Agnikunda (fire-altar) — the first

Agnivansha In Indian culture, the Agnivanshi are people who claim descent from Agni, the Vedic god of fire. The Agnivanshi lineage (Agnivansha or Agnikula) is one of the three lineages into which the Rajput clans, the others being the Suryavanshi (descended ...

. Achalgarh Fort is one of more attractive place which was built by Parmar kings. The Dilwara was temple built by the mahipala Solanki (Chalukya). The conquest of Mount Abu in 1311 CE by Rao Lumba of the Deora-Chauhan dynasty brought to an end the reign of the Parmars and marked the decline of Mount Abu. He shifted the capital city to Chandravati in the plains. After the destruction of Chandravati in 1405, Rao Shasmal made Sirohi his headquarters. Later it was leased by the British government from the then Maharaja of Sirohi for use as the headquarters. The Arbuda Mountains region is said to be original abode of the famous gurus like

Atri Atri ( sa, अत्रि) or Attri is a Vedic sage, who is credited with composing numerous hymns to Agni, Indra, and other Vedic deities of Hinduism. Atri is one of the Saptarishi (seven great Vedic sages) in the Hindu tradition, and the ...

and

Vashishtha Vasishtha ( sa, वसिष्ठ, IAST: ') is one of the oldest and most revered Vedic rishis or sages, and one of the Saptarishis (seven great Rishis). Vashistha is credited as the chief author of Mandala 7 of the ''Rigveda''. Vashishtha a ...

. The association of the Gurus with the mountain is noticed in many inscriptions and epigraphs including ''Tilakamanjari'' of Dhanpala. According to one theory, this Gurdhara or land of the gurus got corrupted with time and became Gurjara. A municipality was established at Abu in 1864; it had six members nominated by the Agent to the Governor General (AGG).

Tourism

Mount Abu town, the only hill station in Rajasthan, is at an elevation of . It has been a popular retreat from the heat of Rajasthan and neighboring Gujarat for centuries. The mountain is home to several

Hindu temple A Hindu temple, or ''mandir'' or ''koil'' in Indian languages, is a house, seat and body of divinity for Hindus. It is a structure designed to bring human beings and gods together through worship, sacrifice, and devotion.; Quote: "The Hind ...

s, including the Adhar Devi Temple (also known as Arbuda Devi Temple), carved out of the solid rock; the Shri Raghunathji Temple; and a shrine and temple to Dattatreya built atop the

peak; and the

Achaleshwar Mahadev Temple The Achaleshwar Mahadev Temple (Devanagari: अचलेश्वर महादेव मन्दिर, Mandir) is a Shiva temple situated just outside the Achalgarh Fort, located in the Abu Road tehsil of Sirohi district, in the western In ...

(1412). The

Achalgarh Fort Achalgarh is a fort situated about north of Mount Abu, a hill station in Rajasthan, India. The fort was originally built by the Paramara dynasty rulers and later reconstructed, renovated and named as Achalgarh by Maharana Kumbha in 1452 CE, ...

, built in the 14th century by

Kumbha of Mewar Kumbhakarna Singh (r. 1433–1468 CE), popularly known as Maharana Kumbha, was the Maharana of Mewar kingdom in India. He belonged to the Sisodia clan of Rajputs. Rana Kumbha is known for his illustrious military career against various sultanat ...

, is nearby and at its center is the popular visitor attraction of the

Nakki Lake Nakki Lake is a lake situated in the Indian hill station of Mount Abu in Aravalli range. Geography The lake is in length of about a half mile and in width about of a quarter of mile and 20 to 30 ft. deep towards the dam on the west. It ...

. The Toad Rock is on a hill near the lake. Close to the fort is the

, a popular Shiva temple. Also, Achal Fort Jain Temple, Kantinath Jain Temple (1513) is equally famous. The

Durga Durga ( sa, दुर्गा, ) is a major Hindu goddess, worshipped as a principal aspect of the mother goddess Mahadevi. She is associated with protection, strength, motherhood, destruction, and wars. Durga's legend centres around comb ...

Ambika Mata Temple lies in a cleft of rock in Jagat, just outside Mount Abu town. The mountain is also the home to a number of

Jain temple A Jain temple, Derasar (Gujarati: દેરાસર) or Basadi (Kannada: ಬಸದಿ) is the place of worship for Jains, the followers of Jainism. Jain architecture is essentially restricted to temples and monasteries, and Jain buildings gen ...

s including

Dilwara Temples The Dilwara Temples or Delvada Temples are a group of Śvētāmbara Jain temples located about kilometres from the Mount Abu settlement in Sirohi District, Rajasthan's only hill station. The earliest were built by Bhima-1 and supposedly des ...

, a complex of temples carved out of white marble. The Dilwara Temples or Delvada Temples are located about 2½ kilometers from the Mount Abu town. These

s were built by Vimal Shah and designed by

Vastupala Vastupāla (died 1240 CE) was a prime minister of the Vāghelā king Vīradhavala and his successor Vīsaladeva, who ruled in present-day Gujarat region of India, in the early 13th century. Although he served in an administrative and military ca ...

Jain Jainism ( ), also known as Jain Dharma, is an Indian religion. Jainism traces its spiritual ideas and history through the succession of twenty-four tirthankaras (supreme preachers of ''Dharma''), with the first in the current time cycle being ...

ministers of Dholka, between the 11th and 16th centuries and are famous for their use of white marble and intricate marble carvings. They are a pilgrimage place of the Jains, and a popular general tourist attraction. The temples have an opulent entranceway, the simplicity in architecture reflecting Jain values like honesty and frugality. Minutely-carved ornamental detail covers the ceilings, doorways, pillars, and panels. The temple complex is in the midst of a range of forested hills. There are five temples in all, each with its own unique identity. All five temples are enclosed within a single high walled compound. The group is named after the small village of Dilwara or Delvara in which they are located. The five temples are: *Vimal Vasahi, dedicated to the first Jain

Tirthankara In Jainism, a ''Tirthankara'' (Sanskrit: '; English: literally a ' ford-maker') is a saviour and spiritual teacher of the ''dharma'' (righteous path). The word ''tirthankara'' signifies the founder of a '' tirtha'', which is a fordable passa ...

, Shri

Rishabha Rishabhanatha, also ( sa, ऋषभदेव), Rishabhadeva, or Ikshvaku is the first (Supreme preacher) of Jainism and establisher of Ikshvaku dynasty. He was the first of twenty-four teachers in the present half-cycle of time in Jain co ...

dev. *Luna Vasahi, dedicated to the 22nd Jain Tirthankara, Shri Neminatha. *Pittalhar, dedicated to the first Jain Tirthankar, Shri Rishabhadev. *Parshvanath, dedicated to the 23rd Jain Tirthankara, Shri

Parshvanatha ''Parshvanatha'' (), also known as ''Parshva'' () and ''Parasnath'', was the 23rd of 24 ''Tirthankaras'' (supreme preacher of dharma) of Jainism. He is the only Tirthankara who gained the title of ''Kalīkālkalpataru ( Kalpavriksha in this "Ka ...

. *Mahavir Swami, dedicated to the last Jain Tirthankara, Shri

Mahavira Mahavira (Sanskrit: महावीर) also known as Vardhaman, was the 24th ''tirthankara'' (supreme preacher) of Jainism. He was the spiritual successor of the 23rd ''tirthankara'' Parshvanatha. Mahavira was born in the early part of the 6 ...

swami. Among all the five legendary marble temples of Dilwara, the most famous of those are the Vimal Vasahi and the Luna Vasahi temples. In Mount Abu, the faith community of

Brahma Kumaris The Brahma Kumaris are a spiritual movement that originated in Hyderabad, Sindh, during the 1930s. Every year about 2.5 million visitors are supposed to visit the sprawling campus of that spiritual movement. The

Brahma Kumaris The Brahma Kumaris are a spiritual movement that originated in Hyderabad, Sindh, during the 1930s.Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary is located in one of the oldest mountain ranges of India, the Aravalli range. It was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1980. Te Eco sensitive zone around the sanctuary was notified on 11 Nov 2020 Geography Mount Ab ...

was established in 1960 and covers 290 km² of the mountain. The sanctuary encircles the town, and sloth bears from the sanctuary have habitually been seen inside the city throughout the year foraging on hotel waste in open rubbish bins.

In literature

''Arbuda Mountains'' is a mountain range described in the epic '' Mahabharata''. It is identified to be Mount Abu. This mountain is mentioned in the travels of

Arjuna Arjuna (Sanskrit: अर्जुन, ), also known as Partha and Dhananjaya, is a character in several ancient Hinduism, Hindu texts, and specifically one of the major characters of the Indian epic Mahabharata. In the epic, he is the third a ...

during his twelve-year pilgrimage. Letitia Elizabeth Landon's poem ''Hindoo Temples on the Mountain-Lake of Aboo'', published in ''Fisher's Drawing Room Scrap Book'', 1839, is a reflection on this mountain fastness.

Climate

The average annual precipitation of Mount Abu is 1554 mm.

Monsoon

Due to its relief and geographical conditions, it rains in Mount Abu during the monsoons. During the rainy season, the temperature falls. Normal summer clothing works. It is wise to carry an umbrella to avoid being caught in the rain.

Winter

Winters are cool in Mount Abu, with the mercury hovering around 13 °C to 22 °C. Nights are chilly, and the average night temperature is around 3 to 12 °C. The temperature has dipped to as low as −1 to −6 °C. Heavy winter clothing is preferable. In the daytime, light pullovers are sufficient.

Culture

* Winter Festival at Mount Abu

Demographics

According to the

2011 Census of India The 2011 Census of India or the 15th Indian Census was conducted in two phases, house listing and population enumeration. The House listing phase began on 1 April 2010 and involved the collection of information about all buildings. Information ...

, Mount Abu has a population of 22,943. out of which 54.7% are males and 45.3% are females. It has an average literacy rate of 81.15%, higher than the national average of 74.04%: male literacy is 90.12%, and female literacy is 70.23%. In Mount Abu, 12.34% of the population is under 6 years of age. 89.31% of people are Hindu, 7.69% are Muslim while 1.45% are Christian.

Gallery

File:Dilwara Prashvantha Temple.jpg, Parshvanatha Temple at Dilwara group of temples File:Jain temple Mt.Abu.jpg, Marble sculpture of

File:Kalpavruksha page.jpg,

Kalpavriksha Kalpavriksha () is a wish-fulfilling divine tree in Indian religions, like Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, and Sikhism. Its earliest descriptions are mentioned in Sanskrit literature. It is also a popular theme in Jain cosmology and Buddhism ...

or Kalpavruksha page in Dilwada Jain Temple File:Nakki Lake.jpg, Nakki Lake after sunset File:Brahma Kumari foundation Head Quarter at Mount Abu.jpg, Brahma Kumari foundation headquarters at Mount Abu File:Nakki Lake from Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary.JPG,

Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary is located in one of the oldest mountain ranges of India, the Aravalli range. It was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1980. Te Eco sensitive zone around the sanctuary was notified on 11 Nov 2020 Geography Mount Ab ...

covers 290 km² of mountains, forests and lake. File:Turtle Shape Rock.jpg, Turtle-shaped rock near Nakki Lake. File:Toad rock (Mount Abu).jpg, Toad rock on a hill near Nakki Lake.

References

Sources

* * * * * * *

External links

Shri Achaleshwar Mahadev Mandir

Mount Abu Population

Abu Winter Festival

Mount Abu Panorama
* {{Authority control Articles containing potentially dated statements from 2011 All articles containing potentially dated statements Hill stations in Rajasthan Cities and towns in Sirohi district Hindu holy cities Abu Tourism in Rajasthan Aravalli Range Jain pilgrimage sites Tourist attractions in Sirohi district