Mount Abu – hillocks on hills

Hill stations are the most desired touring spots for many. They may add to their list the Mount Abu as it is an enchanting hill station in Rajasthan. The fascinating fact is that it is not just one hill but a range of hills of Aravalis. December and January months are very good time to visit this place as one can enjoy the chilling cold weather. Though Sometimes the temperature goes down to –8°C the noon time is pleasant. Of course, wearing a jacket, monkey cap, having a cup of garam chaay (tea) and some pakoras (snacks) makes a perfect experience of a hill station!

The name Abu comes from the Arbuda devi the main goddess of the mountain. Arbuda became Abuda and further shortened to be called Abu. So is the name Mount Abu.

Arbuda Mahadev Temple:

 Normally a tour in India is blended with visits to temples. On Mount Abu the journey begins with the visit to Arbuda Mahadev temple for which we stop on the way to Arbudadevi temple. There is a Shivalinga of the size of nearly 11feet height and 8feet breadth. However, there are no special architectural or sculptural works here. 

Arbuda Devi Mandir:

            This temple is situated on the hill top of about 4,220 feet height located at around 2km north from the city. It is also called Adhar Devi mandir. One must be able to climb the steep steps that gives an enchanting experience to youngsters while it makes the elderly to mind their age.  The speciality of this temple is that the main temple is in a cave in a natural rock. Devotees have to bend and move in kneeling position to reach the garbhagriha that is sanctum sanctorum. Many people carry coconut, plantains and flowers for pooja to the mandir from the shops down the hills. The waiting langurs on the hill top suddenly jump and snatch the offerings. However, very few become successful to save it from them and reach to the temple.

            Marketing, photography, eatables and other avenues are waiting for the visitors. One of them is getting adorned in Rajasthani traditional dresses. There are shops down the hill to provide the dresses on rent to the tourists.   The tour guides find it an opportunity to make a small money by clicking the photographs in that traditional attire.

Brahmakumari Ishwariya Vidyalaya:

            It’s nearly 1km from Arbuda devi mandir. It is the headquarters of ‘Brahmakumaris’ spiritual organization which has branches all over the country and has presence in many other countries in the world. Universal Peace Hall or ‘Om Shanti Bhawan’ is there. Lots of tourists do visit here and there are volunteer guides to show the place and explain about the principles of the organization.

Guru Shikhara:

            It is the loftiest peak of Aravali hills with a height of 5,653 feet above sea level. It is around 18km from Abu. Temple of Swami Dattatreya is situated over here. It is a wonderful experience to visit the topmost point over here and look around! Here again the steep steps pose a challenge but there are paid services of carrying the devotees for those who are in need. A radar station is installed here for the surveillance purpose. On the way to Guru Shikhara, there is a vast level rock which the guides call Honeymoon point. It’s nothing but a stopover that helps the guides in increasing the number of places they show to the tourists.  

Anchalgarh:

            On the way back from Guru shikhara we visit a temple of Lord Shiva. In an adjoining farm there are three rock statues of buffaloes  representing three ‘rakshasas’(demons). One can also see a fort on the hilltop. Those who have sufficient time can climb up the hill and explore more.

Dilwara temples:

            It is the must visit place in Mount Abu. It is a Jain temple. The architectural richness in the carvings of marble stone just mesmerising. They cannot be explained in words! The clarity of sculptures reflects the artistic excellence of the sculptors of that time. They were built by Vastupal Tejpal kings during 11^th to 13^th century. Few hours are not sufficient to see this architectural majesty. Hoysala architecture in Beluru and Halebidu in Karnataka is a reflection of the peak of maturity in temple architecture in southern India which are made out of dark granite rocks. Here the Dilwara temples depict the excellence in temple architecture in the north which is made of marble stone.

            However, one gets surprised to see the Dilwara temples having flat roofs or dome shaped roofs and absence of ‘Shikharas’ which is a characteristic feature of Indian temple architecture. Dooms are the characteristic feature of Islamic architecture which we can see in Taj Mahal in Agra or Gol Gumbaz in Bijapur. Then why Jain temple has dome shape on the roof can be a matter of curiosity. The revelation is quite interesting. It was the strategy of the Rajaput rulers to save the temple from invaders. If they had made shikharas, then the temples would have been an easy target for the invaders as they could have located them easily. But if roof was flat then it could be camouflaged by the trees surrounding it or if domes were there, then they would be presumed to be a mosque and left untouched.

            In one of the temples in Dilwara, it is said that one of the sculpture of Jaina Tirthankara is made of 4000kgs of gold!

Nakki lake and Sunset point:

            Nakki lake is a vast lake in the heart of the city. It is at a height of 1200m above sea level. Boating in Nakki lake is a nice experience. Evenings are fine for a pleasant boat ride.  I was told by a localite that the lake gets frozen completely in the mid of January and people can walk over it! There are good number of restaurants, tea points and variety of textile and handloom shops nearby.

            Sunset point is nearly 2km from Nakki lake. There are horses and man –pulled carts to go for about 1km to reach sunset point. A horse ride is charged at Rs. 100 per head and carts are charged at Rs. 50 per head. There are small hillocks where people rush to watch the sunset. However, those who have watched the grandeur of sunset on the seashore may not find it interesting here!

            A tour package comprises these as the main places in Mount Abu. There may be many more unexplored but worth seeing places! One should have interest, time and energy to explore. Mother Nature is like that. It is never ending as we go on exploring it!

How to reach:                                                  

            Ahmedabad and Udaipur are the nearest airports. Train connectivity is there to ‘Abu road’ which is nearly 30km from Mount Abu. There are sufficient number of buses, jeeps and cabs from Abu road to Mount Abu. It takes nearly 45 minutes to 1hour to climb up the hills by vehicle.

Where to stay:

            There are good number of hotels in both Abu road and Mount Abu. Comparatively the hotels in Abu road are cheaper than Mount Abu. A normal hotel room would cost minimum around Rs. 750 – 800 in Abu Road and in Mount Abu minimum price may cross Rs. 1000.  

The transport to visitors:

            Rajasthan State Road Transport Corporation (RSRTC) has a day’s tour package which costs around Rs. 125 per day per head starting at 9am  from bus-stand at Mount Abu. Of course, private luxury buses are also available at a higher cost. The advantage for those who visit Abu for the first time, this bus trip will make it easy to visit the important places. The travelling between the places becomes quite easy since one need not bargain with auto drivers or other taxis. But if one doesn’t have time to spend whole day in Abu, then it is advisable to book a cab or a jeep to visit the touring spots. 

Bio–toilets to eliminate open defecation

It is a matter of pride to be Indian when India is praised for something. But it becomes a matter of great concern when foreign nations point fingers towards India due to poor hygiene. Open defecation is one such major problem the nation is facing. According to the report of WHO and UNICEF, India is the country with highest number of people practicing open defecation. It is not only an issue of human dignity but also nitrate contamination of ground water and increasing coliform count of surface water. It also leads to unhygienic environment and leads to malnutrition and other communicable diseases.

Who must be held responsible for open defecation? We tend to point fingers at the lower class of our society and the rural folks. But even middle class and upper class indulge in open defecation when they travel in Indian Railways. It is a well – known fact that Indian Railways is the single largest organisation responsible for open defecation. It has also resulted in rusting of railway tracks along with the other environmental and health hazards mentioned above. Is it not important to transform the stinking railway stations clean?

Many people feel that it is necessary to clean India. But they show helplessness in addressing this problem. However, the scientists of this country are not helpless. Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) has already come up with a solution for eliminating open defecation in trains. It is not simply about constructing a toilet but a bio–toilet. Bio–toilets were developed for the soldiers protecting our country in Himalayas especially those posted in Siachen glaciers. These toilets are equipped with bio-digester tanks which are inoculated with bacteria which break down faecal matter into bio-gas and water. Ninety per cent of the solid waste is reduced on the dry weight basis. Pathogens are also reduced by 99 per cent. Thus it’s a one stop solution for open defecation and also is inexpensive. They are being installed in Indian Railways. Konkan Railway Corporation has decided to install bio–toilets not only in trains but also in railway stations.

My recent train journey made me to ask whether our people are aware about these toilets. Because, a bio–toilet installed in a 3 tier AC coach showed me that the notice boards on the doors and inside saying “This is bio-toilet system. Please do not throw paper waste, clothes, bottles, napkins, polythene bags into the toilet commode which may cause inconvenience. Please dispose them into dustbin”. However, people are ignoring this message as they throw all these items into the toilet commode.

Even when a good facility is provided with new technology to solve a burning issue, the people are only sabotaging the public property. They are unwilling to change their habits. They still show the same arrogance, negligence, insanity and continue to blame governments for lack of amenities. When I asked a safai karamchari about the problems faced by him while cleaning the bio–toilets, he showed me the arrangement made to clear off those blocking materials. I felt Indian scientists have practical intelligence. They don’t want their technology to fail on account of people’s bad habit.
When I asked about the attitude of people towards bio–toilets and ignoring the messages posted on notice boards, he replied “padhe likhe log hai, samajhdari nahi hai” (They are literate people but not educated).