Two legends of the fingernail lake
The demon Bashkali: the older legend says he was tormenting the heavens, and the gods fled to the holy mountain of Arbuda, today's Mount Abu, for refuge.
No water: so the gods dug out the lake with their own nails.
Already sacred: the mountain was the home of the sage Vasishtha, and in another story the fire-born Rajput clans rose from his sacrificial flames.
- Built
- By legend, dug with fingernails
- Built by
- The gods, or the sculptor Rasiya Balam
- Open
- Shore open to walkers; boats from town-side jetties
- Allow
- About an hour to walk round
- Best time
- Dawn, before about eight
- Photography
- Best from Toad Rock at dawn
- Getting there
- The centre of Mount Abu town
- Holy ever since: the lake is sacred to Hindus, and pilgrims still bathe and pray at its ghats.
- The love story: a sculptor named Rasiya Balam, working on the Jain temples at Dilwara, fell in love with a princess.
- The bargain: her father, the king, agreed to the marriage if Rasiya Balam dug a lake with his fingernails in a single night, before the cock crowed. He did it.
- The refusal: the queen, unwilling to see her daughter married to a craftsman, would not honour the bargain, and the lovers were never married.
- Their temple: a small shrine behind the Dilwara compound honours Rasiya Balam and Kunwari Kanya, the maiden princess, and couples sometimes visit it for a blessing.
- Our choice: whatever its origin, the lake has been the centre of life on the mountain for as long as anyone remembers. We prefer the fingernails.
- More stories: our Mount Abu guide, and our Dilwara temples guide on the temples where Rasiya Balam is said to have worked.
A small lake in a granite bowl
In a hollow: the lake lies in a dip of the Abu plateau, at roughly the height of the town.
The shape: irregular, with small bays and inlets.
The town side: a promenade of shops, stalls, boat jetties and hotels running right down to the water.
- Altitude
- About 1,200 metres
- Length
- About half a mile
- Width
- About a quarter of a mile
- Fed by
- Monsoon rain held by granite
- Above it
- Toad Rock
- The far side: wooded slopes rise steeply to ridges of bare granite, scattered with boulders balanced on boulders and great smooth domes of rock.
- The granite: over millions of years wind and water have weathered it into rounded forms, hollowed with caves and pockets, so whole outcrops look like animals, faces or ruins.
- Named rocks: people in Abu have named many of them, and the most famous, Toad Rock, crouches on the ridge above the lake.
- Why there is a lake: the impermeable granite holds the heavy monsoon rains, the highest in Rajasthan, and feeds the lake through the dry months.
- Nothing like the rest of the state: after Marwar's desert or Mewar's plains, Nakki feels like a lake in the southern hills, with cool air, green slopes, water and birds.
- The summer migrations: our journal piece on Mount Abu, Rajasthan's hill station explains why the British and the princes came every summer.
Gandhi Ghat and a nation's farewell
Stand on the steps early in the morning, when the water is still, and think of the crowds who must have gathered here that February, from the town and from the villages of the plains below. It gives the lake a place in modern history as well as in its old legends.
- 30 January 1948: Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated in Delhi.
- Shared rites: his ashes were divided and carried to sacred waters across India, so people everywhere could take part in his last rites.
- 12 February 1948: a portion was immersed in Nakki Lake, and Gandhi Ghat was built afterwards to mark the place.
- Easy to miss: it sits among the boat jetties and ice cream stalls, but it is worth a pause.
A walk around the shore, stop by stop
The promenade
Start here: on the town side, where the road runs along the water past boat jetties, shops and stalls.
- At dawn: almost empty, with a few early walkers, tea sellers lighting their stoves and boatmen sweeping out their boats.
- By mid-morning: the busiest stretch of Abu, so enjoy it while it is quiet.
Gandhi Ghat
- A little along the shore: steps lead down to the water where a portion of the Mahatma's ashes was immersed in 1948.
- Pause: and watch the light come up over the hills on the far side.
The Raghunath temple
One of the older shrines: near the southern shore, dedicated to Rama and said to date from the fourteenth century.
- A living temple: busy with worshippers at the times of aarti.
- Etiquette: remove your shoes, cover your shoulders and join the devotees for a few minutes if you wish.
The path to Toad Rock
The climb: from the southern side of the lake, a short, steep path and steps lead to the ridge above.
- Time: ten to fifteen minutes, rewarded with the best view of the lake and town.
- Go prepared: slowly, in shoes with a good grip, with water.
The wooded shore
The quiet side: the slopes come down to the water and the town feels far away.
- Look and listen: for birds in the trees and langurs on the rocks.
- Early morning: the most peaceful part of the walk, and you may have it almost to yourself.
Jaipur House on its hill
- Look up: on the hill above the lake stands Jaipur House, the former summer palace of the Jaipur royal family, now a hotel.
- Its terraces: one of the best views in Abu, and where we like to end the day, watching the sun go down over the water.
Back to the town
- As the town wakes: return to the promenade for masala tea and a hot snack at a stall, or head back to your hotel for breakfast.
- By now: the first boats are going out and the day's crowds are on their way.
Toad Rock and the stone animals of Abu
The shape: a great granite boulder crouched as if to jump into the water.
Abu's most famous landmark: and one of the most photographed sights in Rajasthan.
The view: from the top, or the ledges beside it, the whole lake, the town along its shore and the hills folding away towards the plains.
- What
- A granite boulder shaped like a toad
- Where
- Ridge above the southern shore
- Climb
- Ten to fifteen minutes, steep
- Footwear
- Shoes with a good grip
- Best hour
- Early morning
- Best with mist: in the early morning, with mist on the water, it is a lovely sight.
- Other stone animals: people in town will point out more on the ridges around the lake, with names that change a little with the teller. Children love spotting them.
- The real interest: the granite itself, pocked with hollows, caves and overhangs where the stone has weathered away.
- Cave shrines: tradition says many hollows sheltered ascetics and holy men, and small cave shrines are still tucked into the rocks.
- Climb with care: worn granite steps and rock. Take your time, avoid the hottest part of the day and stay off the exposed edges.
- Children and monkeys: keep a close eye on children, and never feed the monkeys, who are bold and quick.
On the water
Where to hire: the jetties along the town side.
The choice: pedal boats, rowing boats with a boatman and canopied boats for a more leisurely ride.
- How long: the lake is small, so a ride is usually around half an hour.
- Why go: a different view of the shore, the rocks and the wooded slopes.
- Best hours: early morning, when the boats first go out and the water is still, and late afternoon, when the light softens.
- Avoid midday: especially at weekends and in the summer holidays, when the lake is crowded and the jetty queues long.
- Life jackets: they should be provided; insist on them for children.
- Arrangements: these and prices change from season to season, so we sort them out on the day.
Nakki through the year
October and November
Our favourite months: the monsoon has filled the lake, the hills are green, the air is clear and cool, and the summer crowds have gone.
- Mornings: crisp and beautiful, and weekday walks around the shore are peaceful.
- The exception: Diwali weekends, when the town fills with holidaymakers.
- Read more: our page on Rajasthan in November.
December to February
Cold for Rajasthan: nights can fall close to freezing, and days are bright and crisp.
- Dawn mist: often lies on the lake.
- The Winter Festival: in the last days of December, the Mount Abu Winter Festival brings folk music and dance, processions, events on the lake and fireworks.
- Plan around it: it is cheerful and very busy, so avoid it if you want peace.
March to June
March: warm and pleasant.
- April to June: the great summer escape for families from the plains of Rajasthan and Gujarat, with long boat queues and crowds along the shore, especially at weekends and in the school holidays.
- How to manage: visit at dawn and late evening, and spend the middle of the day elsewhere.
July to September
The monsoon: the heaviest rain in Rajasthan, and clouds can wrap the hills for days at a time.
- The reward: the lake fills, waterfalls run on the slopes and everything turns a vivid green.
- The catch: it is wet, views can vanish, and paths can be slippery.
- Month by month: our best time to visit Mount Abu guide.
Birds, monkeys and the occasional bear
Early morning birds: kingfishers on the rocks at the water's edge, cormorants drying their wings, herons and egrets in the shallows, and woodland birds on the far side.
Serious birders: go further into the Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary, declared in 1960, for the green avadavat, the small threatened finch-like bird these hills are famous for.
- Langurs and macaques: everywhere around the lake.
- The macaques: bold, quick and expert at snatching food. Don't feed them, don't carry open food and keep bags closed.
- Sloth bears: after dark they sometimes forage on the edges of town. They are shy but dangerous if surprised.
- Our rule: we never walk the forest paths around the lake at night.
- Responsible watching: our pages on wildlife around the temples and ethical animal encounters explain how we do it.
Eating by the lake
On the promenade: roasted corn rubbed with lime and chilli, hot pakoras, bhel and other chaat, ice cream and endless cups of masala tea.
Thalis: with so many visitors from Gujarat, the restaurants serve Gujarati and Rajasthani vegetarian thalis side by side.
- On the plate: dal, kadhi, several vegetables, rotis, rice and sweets, refilled until you give up.
- Jain food: without onion and garlic, easy to find.
- Street food rules: eat what is cooked in front of you and served hot, choose busy stalls and be careful with cut fruit and raw salads.
- A more refined meal: the princely houses on the hill cook family recipes from their old royal kitchens.
- Private dinners: we arrange them on their terraces and lawns, with a fire against the winter cold.
- The dishes: our Rajasthani food guide explains them.
How to enjoy Nakki Lake
Dawn on your first morning: walk the shore. It is the best introduction to Abu, and the quietest hour.
Toad Rock early: before the heat and the crowds, in shoes with a good grip.
Boats: early morning or late afternoon, never at midday on a weekend.
- Best hour
- Dawn
- Avoid
- Midday on weekends and holidays
- Dress code
- Modest at ghats and temples
- Access
- Town side level; far shore uneven
- After dark
- Stay on the promenade
- For peace: come midweek, outside the summer and Diwali holidays.
- Food out of sight: keep bags closed. The macaques are expert thieves.
- No forest paths after dark: sloth bears forage on the edges of town at night.
- Sunset: join the cheerful crowds at Sunset Point, reached by road, or watch from a quieter spot or a hotel terrace above the lake.
- Access: the town-side promenade is mostly level, but Toad Rock and the far shore involve steps and uneven ground. Our accessible travel guide explains how we plan around this.
- Living places of worship: treat the ghats and temples as such, removing shoes where asked and dressing modestly.
What most visitors miss
Gandhi Ghat: among the boat jetties, where a portion of the Mahatma's ashes was immersed in 1948.
The Raghunath temple: on the southern shore, one of the older shrines on the mountain.
- The far shore at dawn: kingfishers on the rocks and langurs in the trees.
- Rasiya Balam's story: and the small temple to him and Kunwari Kanya behind the Dilwara compound.
- Jaipur House at sunset: the view of the lake from its terraces, with a drink in hand.
- The monsoon lake: full to the brim, with clouds rolling over the hills and almost no visitors.
Nearby places to pair with the lake
- Dilwara temples
- 2.5 to 3 km
- Adhar Devi
- Close to town
- Trevor's Tank
- Just outside town
- Sunset Point
- West of the lake
- Guru Shikhar
- North of town, 1,722 m
The Dilwara temples
- Close by: two and a half to three kilometres away, five Jain temples with some of the finest marble carving in India.
- When: during the window when non-Jain visitors are admitted, after a dawn walk around the lake.
Adhar Devi
The temple: also called Arbuda Devi, after the mountain's oldest name, cut into a cleft in the rock high on a hillside, close to town.
- The climb: a long, steep flight of steps to an atmospheric shrine with a fine view.
- The last step: you stoop through a narrow opening in the rock to reach the goddess.
Trevor's Tank
What: a small reservoir in the forest just outside town.
- Why: a peaceful place for birds and, with luck, a sambar coming down to drink.
- When: the late afternoon, with a naturalist.
- The name: it comes from the British engineer who built it, and the woods around it are protected forest, so keep to the paths.
Sunset Point and Honeymoon Point
The view: west of the lake, over the plains far below.
Another name: Honeymoon Point is also called Anadra Point, and it is lovely in the morning, when it is quiet.
- At dusk: crowded with families, snack sellers and photographers watching the sun drop into the haze. Cheerful rather than peaceful.
- Getting there: go by road rather than along the forest paths.
- For quiet: we will find you a spot on the ridge with your own tea and blankets.
Guru Shikhar and Achalgarh
The summit: north of the town, Guru Shikhar, at 1,722 metres the highest point in Rajasthan.
- On top: a small shrine to the sage Dattatreya, with a great bell that pilgrims ring on arrival.
- The fort: the old fort of Achalgarh with its temples.
- Timing: a fine morning together. Leave early to reach the summit before the haze.
Further afield
- A southern circuit: Abu fits beautifully with Udaipur, Ranakpur and the leopard country of Jawai.
- Into Gujarat: it is the bridge on our Mount Abu and Gujarat journey.
Who will love the lake
Families: children love the boats, the scramble to Toad Rock and spotting the stone animals in the rocks. Keep life jackets on and hands away from the monkeys.
Couples: a dawn walk on the empty shore, a late-afternoon boat to the quiet side and sunset from a terrace above the water.
- Photographers: mist on the water at dawn in winter, and the whole lake from the ledges beside Toad Rock.
- Birders: the wooded far shore at first light, then on to Trevor's Tank and the sanctuary.
- Who may not: anyone who dislikes crowds and can only come on a holiday weekend. Choose a weekday instead.
Where to stay near the lake
Jaipur House: the former summer palace of the Jaipur royal family, on a hill above the lake, with terraces that have one of the best views in town.
The Palace Hotel, Bikaner House: built as the summer residence of the Maharajas of Bikaner, in wooded grounds near the Dilwara road, a short drive from the lake, with lawns and old-fashioned rooms.
- Connaught House: a smaller colonial bungalow with gardens full of flowers, peaceful and old-world.
- Rooms vary: a great deal within each house, so we choose carefully for every guest and ask for lake views where they exist.
- Compare them: our guide to palace stays in Mount Abu and our list of luxury hotels in Mount Abu.
- Plan the days: our Mount Abu itinerary shows how to spend two or three days on the hill.
