Guest blogger Meena shares her photographs and takes us on a trip up the mountains to Mount Abu a beautiful place in Rajasthan.

Situated in the Aravali range, Mount Abu has the honour of being the only hill-station in Rajasthan as well as the whole of North-West India. Mount Abu is home to the world famous tourist destination; the ancient and majestic Dilwara Jain temples.

Mount Abu comes as a relief to the desert sands of Rajasthan: the climate is cool, it’s pleasantly soothing.

We had made our trip in the month of November and it was freezing cold (compared to the climate of Mumbai!). After a rather simple 12-hour rail journey from Mumbai the train pulled up at the deserted small town of ‘Abu road’ station. A 45-minute taxi ride up the winding roadways of Abu, with a bated breath we reached our destination! We were greeted with smiles and the fresh air of this serene hill station finally made us believe, our holiday has begun!

On the first day after refreshing ourselves, we embarked on a 1-kilometre hike up to the popular Sunset Point. At the end of this beautiful walk in the hills, a beautiful light filled up the edges of the cliff we stood upon. Sun was setting upon Rajasthan, and how! It was dramatic, beautiful and indescribable. Our whole family was in awe of the lovely sunset.

Next day we explored the Tibetan sweaters market which was about 10mins walk from our hotel. We then hired a taxi to see the Dilwara Jain and the Adhar devi temples. Photography is prohibited in Dilwara jain temple and we had to deposit our camera and cell phones at security.

Though Mount Abu can be visited throughout the year I prefer the winters to get away from city heat, and to sense that fresh chill in the air at evenings. On your visit to Mount Abu you must relish the delicious Maharashtrian, Gujarati, Rajasthani, South Indian, Punjabi, Chinese or Continental dishes. There are many eating joints in Mount Abu near the local Indian market and the lovely Nakki lake.

Temperature during winters is 14 degrees in the day, but by evenings it drops to 5degrees and do pack your winter clothes for your visit.

Banks and internet cafés are available in market. The local people are very simple and helpful.

WHAT TO SEE

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 and is a superb example of temple architecture.

Adhar Devi Temple: The temple is chiselled out of a huge rock reached by a flight of 360 stairs. A favourite tourist spot.

Sunset Point: Spectacular sight of the setting sun when the hills are covered in the golden glow can be viewed from here.

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,brassworks etc. for viewing.

Nakki Lake: Located right in the heart of Mount Abu, and a quick walk from the local market, Nakki Lake is the perfect place to spend an evening with your partner, friends and family. The picture perfect location of the lake surrounded with mountains, gardens and rock formations also make it a very good location for photography. Especially in the evenings, you can enjoy a hot cup of tea in many open-air restaurants close by and watch the sun set over the lake.

HOW TO REACH MOUNT ABU

Being a popular holiday destination the place is well connected to rest of the country.

To reach Mount Abu by Rail: Abu Road is the nearest railway station just 28 KM from the main city, which is very well connected by rail routes to New Delhi, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, and Mumbai. From Abu Road you can opt for state transport service (usually every hour) or Taxis on both sharing and private basis.

To reach Mount Abu by Air: The nearest airport is Udaipur at a distance of 185 km, But Ahmedabad has better connectivity and daily flights with other parts of the country and is just 221 KM from Mount Abu, from Ahmedabad or Udaipur.

To reach Mount Abu by Road: Mount Abu is well-connected by road with major cities of the country, nearest national highway no. 14 is just 24 KM’s.

A trip of four nights is enough to enjoy the beauty of this hill station.

 

About our guest blogger: I am a homemaker from Mumbai. I run a business and I’m a mother of two grown-up kids. I like to travel as and when time permits. And I’m also an avid blogger. Do visit my blog!