Things To Do And See In Mount Abu

According to a legend, gods scraped from the ground using their nails to make Nakki Lake around which Mount Abu is located. The lake is also the centre for most activities in Abu, and boating on the lake is a must-do activity.

• Viewpoints – For sightseeing, or trekking head towards Toad Rock ( South West of the Raghuathji Temple near the lake) or Sunset Point, the latter for its panoramic views. There is also an amusement park for children at Sunset Point, ideal for a family outing. Also, you can walk around the wild at Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary that spread over 288 sq km. the park is another summer draw, for during the hot months of March and April. It is also birdwatcher’s paradise, with more common among them is the grey jungle fowl; leopard, chinkara, sloth bear, wild boar and hundreds of langurs are also seen here.

• Delwara Jain Temples – Delwara Jain Temples is located in Village called Delwara that houses a complex of five Jain Temples. From outside temple complex is nothing extraordinary looking but inside the whole gamut of complex changes dramatically. Of the five temples here, two of the earliest temples, Vimal Vashi and Luna Vasahi have glorious marble work.

The temples are marvels of sculpture, not architecture. Their plan – of a courtyard encompassing a circular mandap hall and a portico, all supported by pillars, leading to a sanctum – is shared by many Jain and Hindu temples of the Solanki era in western India. But it is the breathtaking sculpture and carving of the pillars, arches, doorways, and even the ceiling that give a unique feel to these temples. The exactly date-able monuments in Mount Abu are the Delwara Temples, among which the two oldest were built in 1031 and 1230. The Achalgarh Fortress that looms over the landscape was built in the 15th century.

• Adhardevi Temple – An atmospheric natural cave structure with a very low and narrow entrance, the temple is crowded during Navratra time. Adhardevi, also called Arbuda Devi, is seen as a form of Durga, and was the family goddess of the Parmar kings. It’s a climb of some 350 steps to the goddess.

• Shopping – Rajasthani handicrafts are ubiquitous in the shops that fringe Nakki Lake. In particular, look out for marble statuary and Kota cotton saris. The shops also have tribal silver jewellery from the region. Other than these shops, pay a visit to Rajasthani at Chacha Chowk.