Achaleshwar Mahadev Temple

Getting there

• By air

  Mount Abu has no airport of its own. The closest is Maharana Pratap Airport at Dabok, Udaipur, 176 km from Mount Abu.

• By train

  Mount Abu railway station is 28 km from Mount Abu town, on the Delhi to Mumbai rail line.

• By road

  Good motorable roads connect Mount Abu with Ajmer, Bundi and Delhi, served by state and private buses.

Why devotees come here

Achaleshwar Mahadev is a Shiva temple just outside Achalgarh Fort, in the Abu Road tehsil of Sirohi district, Rajasthan. It is worshipped in the form of a Shiva linga. One local legend says the temple is built around a toe print of Shiva.

Achaleshwar Mahadev is a Shiva temple, worshipped in the form of a Shiva linga. Its name joins Achal, meaning immovable, and Ishwar, a name for Shiva. Local legend says the temple is built around a toe print of Shiva. Another legend credits the Nandi statue with driving off invaders by releasing bumble bees onto them. Locals also believe a pit inside the temple is a doorway to Naraka, the netherworld.

The temple is believed to have been built in the 9th century by the Paramara dynasty. A thick layer of lime once covered its fine filigree work and marble carvings. In 1979 the crown prince of the Sirohi princely state noticed a piece of marble exposed under the lime. Renovation began under his aegis. The work showed that the sanctum is built of huge blocks of marble, not bricks with marble slabs on top. A path for parikrama, the walk around the sanctum, was also uncovered. Sculptures of Chamunda are in two alcoves. A four tonne Nandi statue, made of panchadhatu, the alloy used for making idols, stands in an enclosure beside the temple.

Tips for your visit

• Look for the four tonne Nandi statue in its enclosure beside the temple.
• Inside, look for the two alcoves that hold sculptures of Chamunda.

Questions people ask