Sights in Southern Rajasthan
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Bagore-Ki-Haveli
This gracious 18th-century haveli museum, on the water’s edge near Gangaur Ghat, was built by a former prime minister and has been carefully restored. There are 138 rooms set around courtyards. Some recreate the times when the house was inhabited, others have cultural displays, including the world’s (rather saggy) biggest turban! The haveli also houses an interesting art gallery, with contemporary and folk art, and world-famous monuments lovingly carved out of polystyrene. The upper courtyard makes an atmospheric setting for fabulous Rajasthani dance performances at 7pm.
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City Palace Museum
The City Palace museum includes the Mor Chowk, with its lavish mosaics of peacocks, the favourite Rajasthani bird. The Manak (Ruby) Mahal has glass and mirrorwork, while Krishna Vilas has a remarkable collection of miniatures (no photography allowed). In the Bari Mahal there is a pleasant central garden. The Moti Mahal has beautiful mirrorwork and the Chini Mahal is covered in ornamental tiles.
More wall paintings can be seen in the Zenana Mahal. There's a large tiger-catching cage near the Zenana Mahal entrance.
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Sajjan Garh (Monsoon Palace)
Perched on the top of a distant mountain range like a fairy-tale castle, this neglected late-19th-century palace was constructed by Maharaja Sajjan Singh. Originally an astronomical centre, it later became a monsoon palace and hunting lodge. Now government-owned, it’s open to the public, but there is not much to see inside, apart from a dreary nature interpretation centre and empty rooms screaming potential. Come for the breathtaking sunset views.
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Sukh Mahal
The stately Sukh Mahal is a small palace, where Rudyard Kipling once stayed and wrote part of Kim. It’s closer to town, on the edge of the beautiful Jait Sagar.
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Universal Peace Hall
For many the teachings are intensely powerful; there are over 4500 branches in 70 countries. It even has consultative status on the Economic and Social Council of the UN. For others, it gives off a spooky New Age-sect vibe and non-believing locals of Mt Abu might try to warn you away. You can decide for yourself by paying a visit to the university's Universal Peace Hall, where free tours are available, including an introduction to the philosophy of the Brahma Kumaris.
If you want to find out more, you can attend a daily morning meditation class (held at the museum) or take an introductory course (seven lessons), including yoga tuition for a minimum of three days, though a…
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Nakki Lake
Scenic Nakki Lake, the town's focus, is one of its biggest attractions. It's so named because, according to legend, it was scooped out by a god using his nakh (nails). Some Hindus thus believe it to be a holy lake, but you're more likely to see people pedaloing than bathing in it. It's a pleasant stroll around the perimeter - the lake is surrounded by hills, parks and strange rock formations.
Nakki Lake is the heart of all activity in Mt Abu.
At the edge, by the town centre, there's a carnival of juice and food stalls, ice-cream parlours, balloon vendors and souvenir shops. You'll probably have to plough through the persistent photographers eager to take a happy snap of y…
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Luna Vasahi Temple
The later Luna Vasahi Temple is dedicated to Neminath, the 22nd tirthankar, and was built in 1230 by the brothers Tejpal and Vastupal for a mere Rs 125.9 million. Like Vimal, the brothers were both Gujarati government ministers. The marble carving here took 2500 workers 15 years to create, and its most notable feature is its intricacy and delicacy, which is so fine that, in places, the marble becomes almost transparent.
In particular, the many-layered lotus flower that dangles from the centre of the dome is an astonishing piece of work. It's difficult to believe that this huge lacelike filigree started life as a solid block of marble. The temple remains incredibly well pr…
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Vimal Vasahi
The older of the temples is the Vimal Vasahi, on which work began in 1031 and which was financed by a Gujarati minister named Vimal. Dedicated to the first tirthankar, Adinath, it took 14 years and allegedly cost Rs 180.5 million to build. The central shrine has an image of Adinath himself, while around the courtyard are 52 identical cells, each enclosing a cross-legged Buddha-tirthankar - the crucial difference between these statues and those of Buddha is that their eyes are always open.
Forty-eight beautifully carved pillars form the courtyard entrance, in front of which stands the House of Elephants, featuring a procession of elephants marching to the temple entrance, …
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Brahma Kumaris Spiritual University & Museum
The white-clad people around town are studying at Brahma Kumaris Spiritual University. This organisation teaches that all religions lead to God and that the principles of each should be studied. The university’s aim is the establishment of universal peace through ‘the impartation of spiritual knowledge and training of easy raja yoga meditation’. For many, the teachings are intensely powerful; there are over 4500 branches in 70 countries. For others, it gives off a spooky New Age–sect vibe. There’s a Brahma Kumaris museum in town, the entrance labelled Gateway to Paradise!
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Padmini's Palace
Continuing south from the Gaumukh Reservoir, you reach Padmini's Palace, beside a large lotus pool with a central pavilion. Legend relates that, as Padmini sat in this pavilion, Ala-ud-din saw her reflection in the lake. This glimpse convinced him to destroy Chittor in order to possess her. The bronze gates to this pavilion were carried off by Akbar and can now be seen in Agra Fort. Near Padmini's Palace is a small prison where captured invaders were kept; former prisoners include sultans of Malwa and of Gujarat.
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Jain Temples
These remarkable Jain temples are Mt Abu's main attraction and feature some of India's finest temple decoration. It's said that the artisans were paid according to the amount of dust they collected, encouraging them to carve ever more intricately. Whatever their inducement, there are two temples in which the marble work is dizzyingly intense, a collection of delicate milky kaleidoscopes, with icing-like carving so fine it looks like you could break it off and eat it. No photography is permitted.
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Maharao Raja Bahadur Singh Museum
This museum is housed in the Moti Mahal, where the current royal descendents live. It is an extraordinary celebration of the lives of the more recent royal members. The first hall is stuffed with stuffed wildlife, chiefly tigers shot by Indian, British and American luminaries. Most visitors are dumbstruck by the tigress with two cubs – all shot by ‘Mr Milton Reynolds, inventor of the ball point pen, in 1953 at Bhimlat’. Other halls contain royal portraits and arrays of weapons.
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Raghunath Temple
Scenic Nakki Lake is a big attraction and the town’s focus. It’s so named because, according to legend, it was scooped out by a god using his nakh (nails). The 14th-century Raghunath Temple stands beside the lake. You can hire boats – a pedalo or a more romantic shikara (gondola-like boat) – at the edge of the lake near the temple; a two-person shikara costs Rs100 for 30 minutes, while a two-/four-person pedalo costs Rs50/100.
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Tower of Fame
The 22m-high Tower of Fame is older (probably dating from the 12th century) and smaller than the Tower of Victory. Built by a Jain merchant, the tower is dedicated to Adinath, the first Jain tirthankar (one of the 24 revered Jain teachers) and is decorated with naked figures of various other tirthankars. A narrow stairway leads through the seven storeys to the top; though the staircase is usually locked, the gatekeeper may open the door for some baksheesh.
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Tower of Victory
The glorious Tower of Victory, symbol of Chittor, was erected by Rana Kumbha between 1458 and 1468 to commemorate his victory over Mahmud Khilji of Malwa in 1440. It rises 37m in nine exquisitely carved storeys, and you can climb the 157 narrow stairs (the interior is also carved) to the 8th floor, from which there's a good view of the area. Hindu sculptures adorn the outside; its dome was damaged by lightning and repaired during the 19th century.
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Rao Madho Singh Museum
The city palace houses the excellent Rao Madho Singh Museum. You’ll find all the stuff necessary for a respectable royal existence – silver furniture, ingenious weapons and a stable of palanquins. The oldest part of the palace dates from 1624. Amazing mirror work and some of Rajasthan’s best-preserved miniatures decorate the small-scale apartments – the upstairs rooms dance with exquisite paintings of hunting and court scenes.
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Chitrasala
To get to the Chitrasala, built by Rao Umed Singh in the 18th century, you exit the elephant gate and walk further uphill to the entrance. Above the garden courtyard are several rooms covered in beautiful paintings. The back room on the right is the Sheesh Mahal; it’s badly damaged, but has beautiful inlaid glass. The morning sun lights up the interiors quite well, but bring a torch (flashlight) if visiting in the afternoon.
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City Palace
The imposing City Palace, surmounted by balconies, towers and cupolas, and towering over the lake, is Rajasthan’s largest palace, with a facade 244m long and 30.4m high. A conglomeration of buildings created by various maharajas, it almost manages to retain a uniformity of design. Construction was started by Maharana Udai Singh II, the city’s founder. There are fine views over the lake and the city from the upper terraces.
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Crystal Gallery
There’s a stunning crystal gallery at the Fateh Prakash Palace Hotel, though the admission charge is rather expensive. Maharaja Sajjan Singh ordered this rare crystal from F&C Osler & Co in England in 1877; he died before it arrived, and all the items stayed packed up in boxes for 110 years. The extravagant, unused collection includes crystal chairs, sofas, tables and even beds. Photography is prohibited.
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Government Museum
The small, seldom-visited government museum features a diorama illustrating local tribal life, some hill-dwellers' artefacts, and a few miniature paintings. The highlight, though, is the sculpture gallery, with works from the ancient town of Chandravati, 7km from Mt Abu, dating from the 6th to the 12th centuries. Note the sculpture of the snake goddess Vish Kanya breastfeeding a snake - something not to attempt at home.
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Sunset Point
Sunset Point is a popular and lovely place from which to watch the brilliant setting sun, though distinctly unromantic unless you find that being thrust red roses, bags of peanuts, or Polaroid cameras gets you into a loving mood. Hordes stroll out here every evening to catch the end of the day, the food stalls and all the usual jolly hill-station entertainment. It's a 1km-walk from the road to the viewpoint.
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Kumbalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary
The Kumbalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary is known for its leopards and wolves. Other wildlife includes chowsinghas (four-horned antelope) and sloth bears. The period from March to June, when water is scarce, is the best time to see animals. You need permission from the forest department in nearby Kelwara to enter. All hotels can arrange permits and three-hour horse or jeep safaris.
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Bundi Palace
This palace is an extraordinary decaying edifice with fabulous though fading turquoise-and-gold murals. It’s reached from the bazaar’s northwestern end. It was previously shut up and left to the bats, but the erstwhile royal family have leased it to a private company to clean it up and it’s now open to the public. Knowledgeable guides (Rs250) hang around the ticket office.
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Rana Kumbha Palace
After entering the fort, turn right and you'll arrive almost immediately at the ruins of this 15th-century palace, which includes elephant and horse stables and a Shiva temple. Padmini's jauhar is said to have taken place in a now-blocked cellar. Across from the palace is the museum and archaeological office, and the treasury building (Nau Lakha Bhandar).
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Ranakpur
Ninety kilometres north of Udaipur, Ranakpur is another incredible feat of Jain devotion. Carved from milk-white marble, the complicated series of 29 halls, supported by a forest of 1444 pillars (no two alike), is the finest in Rajasthan, and one the most important in India. The devotion of its builders is encapsulated in the intricate carving.
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