Godwar Travel Circuit
Places of Interest: Mount Abu - Ranakpur - Jalore
Mount
Abu is located in the south - western corner of Rajasthan and is Rajasthan's
only
hill station. It is also a major pilgrim center. The Aravalli rangs
that cuts across Rajasthan reacbes its greatest at the Guru Shikhar. Interestingly,
not many people are aware that is also the highest point between the Nilgiris
in the south and the Himalaya range up North.
The origin of
Mount Abu goes back several centuries. The Padam Puran
relates the story of how this holy city came into existence. Once Nandini, the
cow belonging to the venerable sang Vashishtha, was trapped in a deep chasm
and could not get herself free. When all efforts failed, the sage appealed to
Lord Shiva for assistance.
Saraswati, the divine stream, flooded the pit and the cow floated up.
Once his cow was free, Vashilshtha approached the great Himalaya and asked him
to fill the gorge Permanently to avoid further mishaps. The youngest son of
Himalaya, with the assistance of Arbud, the mighty snake filled the chasm. The
place came to be called Mount Arbund and was later reduced to its present name.
For those keen to learn more about the history of Rajasthan it will be interesting
to that this place was also the site for one of the most sacred rites- a yagya.
This was performed by the salme sage Vashishtha for the purification of ancient
fighting caste, the Kshatriyas. From this mystical free rose the mighty Rajputs
who Later dominated the history of Rajasthan.
Places to Visit:
Due to the presence of these sages and seers this places became a holy retreat.
But abu is a hill station with all the delightful spots necessary to make their
trip interesting. The
Nakki Lake is picturesquely set amidst hills and
is believed to have been carved out by the gods with their nails. It is a popular
spot for boating and the only artificial lake in India that is 1200mts above
sea level. The surrounding hills have several areas of interest.
Be prepared to go for long walks and treks as you visit the spectacular Sunset
Point, Toads Rock, and the beautifully sculpted hill temple of Gaumukh and Arbuda.
Mount Abu was also an important Vaishnava and Shaivite pilgrim center up to
the 11th century. Today, it is recognized the world over for its magnificent
Jain temples.
No
visit to Mount Abu can be complete without a trip to the famed
Delwara temples.
Let your mind be dazzled by the exquisite carvings on stone. When you look at
these temples you find yourself at a loss for words to describe this sheer poetry
in stone, this elegance in marble, as no description can really do justice to
this beauty. These are better seen than described. More such marvellous carving
can be found in the 15th century temple complex of
Ranakpur.This is one
of the five holy places of the Jain community. The most important temple is
dedicated to Rishabhji and sprawls to some 48,000sq.ft. and has 29halls and
1444pillars, all distinctively carved. It is four faced and houses an idol of
Adinath. Feel free to explore its various mandaps and study the intricate
carving, your guide will point out the fact that no two pillars are alike-the
carved design is different on each one. It makes you admire the skills of the
stone carvers so many hundred years ago. The musical chimes of the temples bells,
the gentle breeze flowing through the carved corridors in fact, the serenity
of the surroundings tempts you to spend more relaxed moments here than you may
have planned. Lush green hills with a wealth of flora and fauna, quiet surroundings
and very little traffic make the drive to Ranakpur a very pleasant one. It is
a peaceful area where you need not rush through the sight seeing.
When you move towards
Jalore you are in fact moving to an altogether
different landscape. It is a typical small town of Rajasthan where the hustle
and bustle of the bigger cities is missing. Take time to get a taste of the
countryside, explore the fort and the temples and see how the simple, unspoilt
and friendly rural olk, live.
Travel Circuits in Rajasthan:
Dhundhar Circuit | Brij
- Mewar Circuit | Hadoti Circuit | Mewar
Circuit | Vagad Circuit | Godwar
Circuit | Desert Circuit | Merwara
Mewar Circuit | Shekhawati Circuit
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