The
captivating hill retreat in Aravalli
Around
185 km from Udaipur in Sirohi district of Rajasthan is the pleasant
retreat of Mt. Abu. We took off from Ahmedabad and a 250-km
picturesque drive made us reach Mt. Abu nestling on the southern edge
of the Aravalli Hills. The road to Mt Abu is flanked by barren hills
with overhanging rocks in various forms and the rock faces appear
like huge projections that attract travellers.
We
had a penchant to visit the splendid Dilwara temple and within a
short time, after reaching Mt Abu we headed to the shrine.
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| Dilwara Temple |
At a
distance of 3 km from the hill resort, the 11th century
Dilwara temple is a man-made wonder in marble with a marvellous
gallery of Jain shrines. The shrine complex encompasses a group of
five temples that stand as a treasure house of great Indian artworks.
Created by leading architects of Gujarat, the shrine stands apart
with exquisite marble carvings.
A visit to Vimal Vasahi temple, the
premier shrine in the complex made us gape at the artistic gems.
Designed by Vimal Shah, the minister of bygone Solanki ruler in
Gujarat, the shrine was built in 1031 AD and houses the reigning
deity, Adinath- the first Jain Tirthankara. We did not forget
to visit the central shrine honouring Rishabhdev with 52 pillars
showing off impressive carvings and the ceilings adorned with
overhanging sunflower-shaped marble works.
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| Nakki Lake, Mount Abu, Rajasthan |
The
picture postcard hill resort of Mt Abu has the enchanting Nakki Lake
at a height of 1,200 metres in the midst of Aravalli hills providing
panoramic views of the landscape. There is the Toad Rock; the
enormous rock overhanging the lake that resembles a toad. For us, the
hill resort presented a slice of paradise and the charm refuses to
fade.
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