Rajasthan is called the land of princely states. There is Mount Abu Hill Station in this Rajasthan, which many people call heaven. The lakes, mountains and numerous temples here attract people. The temples are of mythological importance, which have special recognition in Hindu religion. Due to its mythological importance, every year a large number of devotees come here to visit.
The history of Mount Abu is very interesting. According to Hindu beliefs, 33 crore gods and goddesses had resided or visited here. According to religious legends, the great saint Vashishtha lived on this mountain and used to perform yagya and worship to save the earth from demons. Apart from this, many religious stories are prevalent here. Now the question arises that which temples are there in Mount Abu and how can one reach there.
The name ‘Mount Abu’ became popular during the British period. Earlier its name was Arbudanchal. There is a mythological story associated with this name. According to the legend, when Lord Shiva’s vehicle Nandi fell into a deep ditch, a serpent named ‘Arbud’ pulled him out. This place was named Arbudanchal after the name of that snake. Later the British changed its name to Mount Abu.
Mount Abu has many ancient and famous temples. There are seven such temples here, where people go a lot-
1. Arbuda Devi Temple- Goddess Arbuda is considered to be the form of Mother Katyayani. It is believed that a part of Mother Katyayani had fallen here, hence the temple of Arbuda Devi was established here. Special puja is performed here during Navratri and a large number of devotees come for darshan.
2. Shri Raghunath Temple– This temple is dedicated to Shri Raghunath ji, the incarnation of Lord Vishnu. This temple is situated on the banks of Nakki Lake and is believed to be about 650 years old. It was built by Vaishnavas in the 14th century. It is believed that by visiting here the sufferings of the devotees go away.
3. Gaumukh Temple- Saint Vashishtha is worshiped in this temple. It is believed that Saint Vashishtha had performed the yagya here. The religious importance of the temple continues even today.
4. Achaleshwar Mahadev Temple- This temple is situated near Achalgarh Fort. It is believed that there are thumb impressions of Lord Shiva here and Shivalinga is worshiped at the same place.
5. Shankar Math Temple- This temple was built in the year 1977. A huge Shivling about 9.5 feet long and 7.5 feet wide is installed here, which makes it special.
6. Swaminarayan Temple- This temple is one of the major temples of Swaminarayan sect. Situated amidst beautiful hills, this temple is famous for its grandeur.
7. Dilwara Jain Temple- This Jain temple is situated amidst the Aravali hills. It was built by Vimal Shah between the 11th and 13th centuries. This temple is famous all over the world for its fine marble carvings.
How to reach Mount Abu?
The nearest airport to Mount Abu is Maharana Pratap Airport (Udaipur). You can reach Udaipur by plane from any state of the country. Mount Abu is about 3 hours away from Udaipur. Apart from this, you can also reach Udaipur or Abu Road railway station by train. From there Mount Abu can be easily reached by taxi or bus. Thus, Arbudanchal i.e. Mount Abu is a wonderful confluence of natural beauty and religious faith, where history, mythology and reverence come together.
