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Nakki
lake: It is said
that the small lake in the middle of Abu was scooped out by God using his Nakh
(nail). Today, Nakki is the throbbing heart of the pleasant town. The lake
is surrounded by hills. There are several parks around and a major tourist
attraction is the strange rock formations that resemble animals they are
named after. Captivated by the beauty of the lake, a number of Maharajas
built summer houses around it
Viewpoints:
There are various viewpoints around Mount Abu with the Sunset Point being
the most famous. Other popular spots include Honeymoon Point, The Crags
and Robert's Spur.
The Adhar
Devi Temple, only 3 km north of the town, is an ancient Durga temple
built in a natural cleft in a rock. The place affords excellent views of
Mount Abu.
Nobody
who comes to Mount Abu leaves the place without a mandatory visit to the
famous Dilwara Jain Temples. The main attraction of Abu, these
temples rank amongst the finest specimens of Jain architecture in India.
Of the two temples, the Vimal Vasahi is the older one dating
back to the 11th century AD. It is dedicated to the first
Tirthankar, Adinath. The later Tejpal Temple is dedicated to the 22nd
Tirthankar, and was built in 1230 by two brothers, Tejpal and Vastupal,
both ministers of the ruler of Gujarat. The fantastic intricacy and
delicacy of the marble carvings in the temples is something that has to be
seen to be believed.
The Brahma
Kumaris Spritual University & Museum attracts hordes of visitors
from India and abroad. The Brahma Kumaris hold that all religions lead to
God and are therefore equally valid. They accordingly put emphasis on
studying principles of all religions. The University's stated aim is the
establishment of universal peace through spiritual knowledge and training
of yoga meditation.
AROUND
ABU:
There are
several places around Abu that are worth visiting. The Shiva Temple of
Achaleshwar Mahandeva at Achalgarh lies 11 km north of Mt Abu and
offers good views of over the plains. Guru Shikhar, 15 km from Abu
is the highest point in Rajasthan at 1721m. Eight km from the town, the Mount
Abu Wildlife Sanctuary harbours panthers, sambars, wildboars and
birds. |
