Mount Abu (Abu Raj), Location, Height, Biodiversity, Significance

Mount Abu, officially referred to as Abu Raj, is a hill station in Sirohi district of southwestern Rajasthan. It lies on an isolated massif of the Aravalli Range and reaches 1,220 metres in the town area. The mountain forms a rocky plateau about 22 km long and 9 km wide. Its rivers, lakes, waterfalls and evergreen forests give Mount Abu its distinctive landscape.

Mount Abu

Mount Abu combines ancient traditions, geological features, historic monuments and important religious sites within Rajasthan’s only hill station.

• Location: Mount Abu is located in Sirohi district, Rajasthan. 
• Height: The town stands at 1,220 metres, while Guru Shikhar reaches 1,722 metres and is the highest point of the Aravallis.
• Mountain Range: Mount Abu is situated in the Aravalli Range, one of India’s oldest mountain systems.
• Name Evolution: The ancient name of Mount Abu was Arbuda and the Puranas called the region Arbudaranya, meaning the forest of Arbuda. Over time, Arbudaranya became Abu. In the present renaming, Mount Abu has been renamed Abu Raj, reflecting its historical association with Arbuda and its ancient regional identity.
• Mythological Associations: Legends connect Mount Abu with sages Vashistha and Vishvamitra. Another tradition links its name with the serpent Arbuda, who saved Nandi, Lord Shiva’s bull.
• Medieval History: Rao Lumba of the Deora-Chauhan dynasty conquered Mount Abu in 1311 CE. Rao Shasmal later established Sirohi as his headquarters after Chandravati was destroyed in 1405.
• Colonial Period: The British leased Mount Abu from the Maharaja of Sirohi. It became the headquarters of the Rajputana Agency and later developed as an important administrative centre.
• Lakes and Structures: Nakki Lake is a major landmark near Achalgarh Fort. The Toad Rock stands near the lake, while Achalgarh Fort was built in the 14th century by Kumbha of Mewar.
• Religious Heritage: Mount Abu contains Hindu and Jain temples. The Dilwara complex has five marble temples, including Vimal Vasahi, Luna Vasahi, Pittalhar, Parshvanath and Mahavir Swami.

Mount Abu Biodiversity and Environment

Mount Abu supports an unusual subtropical ecosystem because its elevation and rainfall create greener conditions than surrounding Rajasthan landscapes.

• Wildlife Sanctuary: The Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary was established in 1960 and covers 290 km². It surrounds the town and protects the region’s distinctive forest and wildlife resources.
• Flora Diversity: Vegetation includes orchids, wild roses, ferns, bamboo and medicinal plant species.
• Forest Vegetation: Vegetation changes from subtropical thorn forests around lower areas to dense subtropical evergreen forests and bamboo groves in higher valleys and southwestern sections.
• Fauna: Important animals include Indian leopards, sloth bears, sambar deer, wild boars, chinkara, gray langurs, jungle cats, Indian pangolins and striped hyenas.
• Bird Diversity: Notable birds include gray jungle fowl, green avadavat and the localized Aravalli red spurfowl.
• Climate: Mount Abu receives about 1,554 mm annual rainfall. July and August are especially wet, while winter temperatures can fall to about 3°C and occasionally below zero.

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Mount Abu Significance

Mount Abu is important for tourism, biodiversity, religious heritage, climate based recreation and the cultural history of the Aravalli region.

• Tourism Importance: Mount Abu has long attracted visitors escaping the intense Rajasthan and Gujarat heat. Its lakes, forests, viewpoints, waterfalls, temples and pleasant winters support year round tourism.
• Religious Tourism: Dilwara Jain Temples are a major pilgrimage destination. Brahma Kumaris also maintains its spiritual headquarters here, with a 50 acre campus and an estimated 2.5 million visitors annually.
• Cultural Importance: Mount Abu appears in traditions associated with the Mahabharata, while its historic temples and inscriptions preserve links with ancient religious and literary traditions.
• Environmental Value: The Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary protects an important green landscape within the Aravallis. Its diverse vegetation and wildlife make Mount Abu an important ecological area in Rajasthan.