Yes, we shall need to enter Rajasthan for visiting Abu. Originally this is a capital of the Parmar rulers. We can see even today some of the 'kunds' and the ruins of a city called Achalgadh in this region that belong to this dynasty. But later on this was an integral part of the Gujarat rulers' territory for a very long time indeed. The Gujarati persons i.e. Vastupal, Tejpal and Vimal Shah who were ministers to Gujarati kings, built the famous Dilwara lain temples here. These temples are not only the place of pilgrimage for lain devotees, but they attract in large numbers even those who love temple art and architecture. These temples are full of wonderful carvings and unique tricks of lain architecture, not found elsewhere. During vacations if you visit Abu, you wil1 find Gujaratis in largest numbers among the tourists.

This is a hill station developed by the English although it had its own earlier importance in the times of the Parmar rule as their capital. The English developed it as a place for change of climate that they needed all the time in the tropical heat of Gujarat. Among the sites that attract the tourists we find the fort of Achalgadh, Vashistha Ashram, Guru Dattatreya's Point, the Dilwara temples and the ancient seat of Goddess Arbuda Devi. The centrally situated Nakhi Lake is also very attractive, as it has beautiful surrounding hills and gardens. The tourists can enjoy boating as well. There is a big rock at one end of the Lake with the shape of a toad known as Toad Rock. On one side of the Lake is the Raghunathji temple to which the devotees and tourists flock. The mall that surrounds the Lake allows tourists to stroll and even get some goods that may fascinate them. The Sun set Point is the place to really see a beautiful sunset one does not usually witness in cities.

Due to cold and pleasant weather, the rulers of surrounding regions have built their own palaces here too. Among these are those of Jaipur, Bikaner, Bharatpur, Limbdi, Sanand etc. Some of the wealthy persons of Gujarat also have built their own bungalows here. There is a wide variety among the hotels that have come up here, providing accommodation to the rich as well as the ordinary travelers. Gujarat Govt. also has provided some facilities here at Gujarat Bhavan and it also conducts the Mountain Climbing School here. Vastupal and Tejpal were two brothers, brilliant and scholarly, devotional and powerful, rich and brave, who assisted their king of Vaghela dynasty as his ministers. When they began their religious pilgrimage they thought it risky to leave so much wealth unprotected in a deserted house for a very long time. So, they decided to bury their wealth of gold and other precious things within the house. As they began to dig the ground, they found other huge treasure already buried by someone else there. What could be done with this suddenly found wealth? The shrewd and cultured mother of Tejpal, Anupamadevi, said, "If we keep Goddess Laksmi thus buried, only this would be its Fate. Someone buried it and someone else got it!! So, instead of using this suddenly discovered treasure for our selfish ends, we must use it for public good." Accepting this suggestion, her sons built the Dilwara Jain temples at Abu, with their famous sculptural beauty that amazes the onlooker even today. They also got other Jain temples built at Shatrunjay and Gimar mountains.

A little away from Dilwara temples we find the fort of Achalgadh, situated in a very quirky hilly area, specially when in those days, the transporting of material must have been so very tough. The Lake here has the legendary ancient figures of three Mahishis. For reaching Guru Shikhar we now have facilities of vehicle. When you proceed from Nakhi Lake to Dilwara the first place of great interest is the beautiful center of a spiritual movement called Brahmakumaris. It has a vast Gathering Hall, several Meditation Halls, lovely gardens and accommodation facilities. This is its international headquarters and its structure is also of international standards.

Then, as we fill our hearts with the memories of the peaks of Arbud hill range, we return to Gujarat!

Dilwara Jain temples

When the lain temples were being built on the Mount Abu, it used to be very cold there. The artists would carve very fine carvings on the marbles, and their hands were so steady that one would think they were carving on mere. wax! However, Anupamadevi had provided them warmed farm stoves and some had been even made of silver! The legend has it that she paid the artisans equivalent weight of the marble dust they made while of gold carving. In part are the carvings in the name of the wives of Vastupal and Tejpal, called 'Derani-Jethani no gokh'. The very fine marble carving in these two recesses are most amazing in their beauty. The marble is so transparent and the carvings so fine it seems just like wax carving and rarely we get such beautiful pieces of art. This is famous therefore not just- in India, but also in the whole world. Tourists flock here in hordes to try and. understand, and then wonder how such delicate carving could have been done on the hardest stone marble! The ar1, peace, tidiness and cleanliness that one experiences here is incomparable.