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Mount
Abu Cradled in the cluster of thirteen mountain peaks of the
Aravali ranges,the formidable medieval citadel- Kumbhalgarh
standsa wary sentinel to the past glory. Rising from a prominent
ridge, 1914 metres high from the sea level, the fort was built
in 15th century AD by Maharana Kumbha (1419-63 AD) and is the
principal fortification after Chittaurgarh, lying 90 km
north-west of Udaipur.
The massive fort,encompassed b y
a 36 km long wall,has seven majestic gates and seven ramparts,
one within the other. Rounded bastions and soaring watch towers
strengthen the crenallated walls of the fort making it an
impregnable structure Fascinating chambers are built on the
western side of the last gate- the ‘Nimboo Pol’. According to
history, the infant Udai Singh was smuggled from Bundi and
hidden in these chambers by his faithful maid Panna Dai to save
him from the murderous intentions of his Uncles who desired the
throne. Udai Singh ascended the throne of Mewar with Kumbhalgarh
as his residence and later established Udaipur-the beautiful
lake city. Within the fort are many magnificent palaces and an
array of ruined temples.
The most picturesque of the palace is the ‘Badal Mahal’ or the
palace of the cloud. The palace has got its name for being the
highest of all the structures. It offers a superb bird’s eye
view of the countryside surrounding the fort as well as of other
ruins within the fort.The ancient ruins of the temples within
the fort date back to the Mauryan period built during the reign
of the grandson of the Mauryan Emperor Ashoka who belonged to
the Jai community.
Most of the ruins in Kumbhalgarh are of the Jain temples of
various periods.
As one moves to the east ,Kali Temple and the Mamadev Kund with
royal chhatris can be seen. Another notweorthy temple, a little
further, exshrines a fine black marble lingam. The mandap or the
hall of the temple has beautiful pillars, finely fluted and
having a tapering shape.
Places to Visit
Dilwara Jain Temple: These b eautifully
carved temples built between 11th and 13th century A.D. are
sheer elegance in marble, dedicated to the jain Tirthankaras.
The Vimal Vasahi temple is the oldest of these dedicated to the
first Tirthankara. Built in 1031 A.D. (by Vimal Shah-a merchant
and representative of then Gujarat ruler), it is a superb
example of temple architecture.
The central shrine has an image of Rishabhdev and large
courtyard with 52 small shrines,each housing a beautiful statue
of thirthankaras with 48 elegantly carved pillars form the
entrance to the courtyard.The Lun Vasahi Temple, dedicated to
the 22nd Tirthankaras-Neminath, was built in 1231 A.D. by two
brothers-Vastupal and Tejpal,Ministers of Raja Vir Dhawal, a
ruler of Gujarat-belonging to the Porwal Jain community.With
door casings, pillars, architraves and sculptures on
porticos,the temple is a fine specimen of craftsmanship
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.
Gaumukh Temple: A natural spring flowing through a
sculpted cow’s head gives the shrine its name.The famous ‘yagna’
of sage Vashishtha was performed here. A beautifully sculpted
hill temple of Arbuada-the mighty serpent stands against the
beautiful backdrop. Nearby is the magnificent marble image of
Nandi, the celestial bull rescued by Arbuada.
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.
Honeymoon Point: Also known as Andra Point, it offers an
enchanting view of the verdant plains and valleys. The place
looks most beautiful during the dusk hours.
Shri Raghunathji Temple: Situated near the ‘Nakki’ lake is the
temple dedicated to Shri Raghunathji with a beautiful image of
the deity that was placed here in 14th century A.D. by Shri
Ramanand the famous Hindu preacher.
Gardens and Parks: Beautifully laid parks and gardens are
interspersed throughout the hilly paradise. Ashok Vatika,Gandhi
park, Municipal Park,Shaitan Singh Park and Terrace Garden are
some of the noteworthy gardens.
Excursions
Trevor’s Tank (5 km): Named after the British engineer
who constructed it, Trevor’s Tank is a delight for birdwatchers
with densely wooded hills that are a haven to pigeons, peacocks
and partridges.
Achalgarh (8 km): An impressive fort with some beautiful
jain temples enclosed within. Among the
noteworthy temples are Achaleswar Mahadev Temple (1412 A.D.) and
Kantinath Jain Temple (1513A.D.) . The latter has gold
plated image. Mandakini Kund and a sculpture of Parmar
Dharavarsh are situated close to the Achaleswar Mahadev Temple.
The Fort was built in the 14th century A.D. by Rana Kumbha and
is approachable by a motorable road.
Guru Shikhar (15 km): The highest peak on the mount (1722
mts. Above the sea level) allows a bird’s eye view of the sylvan
surroundings of Mt. Abu.
A small Shaivite shrine and a temple of Dattatreya standing on
the shikhar are worth a visit.
Access
Air : Nearest airport is Udaipur, 185 kms.
Rail : Abu Road is the closest railhead linked with Ahmedabad,
Delhi, Jaipur and Jodhpur
Road :Good network of bus services connect Mount Abu to major
cities of Rajasthan and India. |
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Rajasthan is one of the 26 states that, along, with
seven union territories forms the republic of India. Rajasthan
is one of the 26 states that, along, with seven union
territories forms the republic of India. Located in the
north-west, it shares its borders with Punjab, Hariyana, Uttar
Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and and Gujarat, The Complete Rajasthan
-- Take a desert- burning sand in the long summers, large tracts
of dune-decked plains, with scarce water and even scarcer
vegetation and create a habitation with the mind's eye, if you
can. And the come to Rajasthan to see if you imagination can
begin to match where reality takes over.
History
Archaeological and historical evidence shows a continuous human
habitation of the area dating back 100,000 years. Between the
7th and the 11th century AD, several dynasties arose, with
Rajput strength reaching its peak at the beginning of the 16th
century. Emperor Akbar brought the Rajput states into the Mughal
Empire; by early 19th century, they allied with the Marathas.
Later, the British established supremacy in the region.
Rajasthan soon emerged as a centre of Indian nationalism. When
the new constitution went into effect in 1950, Rajput princes
surrendered their powers to the Indian Union.`
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