Everything about Mount Abu totally explained
Mount Abu is the highest peak in the
Aravalli Range of
Rajasthan state in western
India. It is located in
Sirohi district. The mountain forms a distinct rocky plateau 22km long by 9 km wide. The highest peak on the mountain is
Guru Shikhar, at 1722 meters 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.
History
In the
Puranas, the region has been referred to as
Arbudaranya, ("forest of
Arbhu") and 'Abu' is a dimunitive of this ancient name. It is believed that sage
Vasishtha retired to the southern spur at Mount Abu following his differences with sage
Vishvamitra.
Tourist attractions
The town of Mount Abu, the only
hill station in Rajasthan, is located at an elevation of 1220 meters. It has been a popular retreat from the heat of Rajasthan and neighbouring
Gujarat for centuries. The
Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary was established in
1960 and covers 290 km² of the mountain.
Mount Abu is home to a number of
Jain temples. The
Dilwara Temples are a complex of temples, carved of white
marble, that were built between the 11th and 13th centuries AD. The oldest of these is the Vimal Vasahi temple, built in 1031 AD by
Vimal Shah and dedicated to the first of the Jain
Tirthankaras. The Lun Vasahi Temple were built in 1231 AD by the brothers Vastupal and Tejpal, who belonged to the
Porwal Jain community. They were ministers of Raja Vir Dhawal, a local ruler of Gujarat.
The
Achalgarh fort, built in the 14th century by
Rana Kumbha of
Mewar, stands nearby. It encloses several beautiful Jain temples, including the Achaleswar Mahadev Temple (1412) and the Kantinath Temple (1513).
Nakki Lake is another popular visitor attraction of Mount Abu.There is the Toad Rock on a hill near the lake. Raghunath Temple and Maharaja Jaipur Palace are also on hills near
Nakki Lake.
The mountain is also home to several
Hindu temples, including the Adhar Devi Temple, carved out of solid rock; the Shri Raghunathji Temple; and a shrine and temple to
Dattatreya built atop the
Guru Shikhar peak. The world headquarters of the
Brahma Kumari order of lady renunciates is also located here, as is the World Spiritual University of the same denomination. There is also believed to be a footprint of
Vishnu on top of Mount Abu. The
Durga temple,
Ambika Mata Temple lies in a cleft of rock in
Jagat, just outside of Mount Abu.
Transportation
The nearest railway station is at
Abu Road, in the lowlands 27 km southeast of Mount Abu town. The station is on the main
Indian Railways line between
Delhi and
Ahmedabad.
Demographics
As of 2001 India
census, Mount Abu had a population of 22,045. Males constitute 58% of the population and females 42%. Mount Abu has an average literacy rate of 67%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 77%, and female literacy is 55%. In Mount Abu, 14% of the population is under 6 years of age.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Mount Abu'.
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