Guru Shikar is located at a height of 1772 meters above sea level, and one can enjoy the view of Mount Abu region from this peak. One can see the temple of Guru Dattatreya on this peak who was said to be the incarnation of Lord Hindu, Lord Brahma and Lord Shiva. Other important temples situated at this mountain peak are Chamundi Temple, Shiva Temple and Mira Temple.
This mountain peak is located at a distance of 15 km from Mount Abu in the Aravalli range. Landmark of Guru Dattatreya Temple is the huge bells which one can see at the entrance of the temple.
History and mythology of guru shikar mount abu
You will hardly find a place in Mount Abu which does not have a temple or hermitage nearby. Gurushikhar is no exception.
Before you reach the peak, you will find the temple dedicated to Dattatreya. The literal meaning of the name can be explained thus: Atreya means son of Atri, the sage from Hindu mythology. Datta in Sanskrit means given. Dattatreya, according to Hindu belief is the son given to the sage Atri and his wife Anasuya by the trinity, Vishnu, Shiva and Brahma. The peak is dedicated to Guru Dattatreya and hence the name of the peak, Guru Shikhar.
The temple is believed to house the foot prints of Dattatreya and devotees feel blessed by darshan (sighting) of these footprints.
Within the temple you can also see footprints of Swami Ramnath, the seer who enshrined the statue in the Raghunathji temple in Mount Abu. This temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu and is an important pilgrimage place for the Vaishnavites, that is, devotees of Lord Vishnu.
After reaching the peak, at a little distance to the northwest, you will also find a temple dedicated to Ahilya, who was Dattatreya’s mother.
On the peak, there is a huge bell with inscription 1411 A.D. The original bell has had to be replaced with a new bell in recent times because of disintegration of the old one. The sound of the bell is carried to a long distance and is very captivating.
Historically speaking, King Prithviraj Chowhan is believed to have travelled along this peak to meet his bride and consummate his marriage with her. The bride was the princess of Prahladanpur, now known as Palanpur.
Best time to visit in Guru Shikhar
Tourists visit Mount Abu all through the year as it has its unique offerings for every season. Summers are the best time if one wants to break free from the scorching heat and experience the cold hill station air. The rainy season gets a little dangerous because of the heavy downpour – it’s best to avoid trekking at this time as the pathways get quite slippery.
How to reach Guru Shikhar
To reach Guru Shikhar from the Mount Abu area, one can only rely on going by road as that is the only option. It is about 15 kms away (almost a 30-minute drive from the main city) and one can get there easily via the Delwara Achalgarh Road. There are no buses available which is why one must either hire a cab or go by a personal vehicle.
By Road: Mount Abu is well connected to major cities by highways and the nearest national highway is NH-14, which is just 24 km away.
By Rail: The Abu Road station is the nearest railway station, located just 28 km from the main city. The rail routes are connected to major cities like Delhi, Jaipur, Ahmedabad and Mumbai. State transport services are always available from the station or one can easily hire cabs too.
By Air: The nearest airport to Mount Abu is the Udaipur Airport. It is located at a distance of 185 kms from the hill station. Ahmedabad airport, on the other hand, is 221 kms away and has better connectivity. Daily flights are available from there to other parts of the country, so it may make more sense to plan your trip from Gujarat rather than Rajasthan.
