Guru Shikhar is the highest peak of the Aravalli Range at about 1,722 m above sea level and the highest point in Rajasthan and western India. The drive up from Mount Abu winds through forested slopes and viewpoints; near the summit you climb steps past small shops and shrines until the panorama suddenly opens—hills rolling away in all directions, Mount Abu town and Nakki Lake far below, and on clear days, glimpses of the plains beyond. At the top are a cave-temple and a large bell that many trekkers ring to announce their arrival. The air is cooler and clearer than in the town, making sunrise and early morning visits especially memorable.
About this place
History & highlights
The name Guru Shikhar means “Peak of the Guru” and is associated with Dattatreya, a composite deity regarded as an incarnation of Vishnu and embodiment of the Trimurti. A cave at the summit contains a temple dedicated to Lord Dattatreya, while another nearby shrine honours his mother Anasuya, wife of sage Atri; these link the peak to ancient Hindu mythology and ascetic traditions of the Arbud (Abu) hills. While legends claim great antiquity for the shrines, historical references to Guru Shikhar as a pilgrimage site and lookout become clearer in medieval and later records. In the modern era, the peak also gained scientific importance: next to the temple complex stands the Mt Abu Observatory of the Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad, which houses a 1.2-m infrared telescope and other experiments, underlining how the highest point of the range now serves both spiritual pilgrimage and astronomical research.
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