Mount Abu Excursions
¤ Sirohi Town
Distance: 58km from Mount Abu
¤ Formation of Sirohi Town
On the plains below Mount Abu is Sirohi, a little town but once the
capital of the Deora Chauhanas. Sirohi was founded in 1347 when Muslim
invaders appeared, driving the region’s ruling clan out of
Sirohi. The town itself is well protected by the Aravalli hills which
encompass the area, forming a natural barrier against frequent
invasions. These very hills discouraged invasions from the Mughals,
the Marathas and the Rathores of Marwar. Like for forts all over
Rajasthan, numerous battles were fought for the control of Sirohi as
well. It is said that Rao Sultan Singh, who ruled Sirhi in the 16th
century, fought 52 battles in his 51 years of reign. This was all for
a good purpose, for throughout its existence Sirohi was able to thwart
dominance from foreign rulers.
¤ Sirohi's Blacksmith Famous For Their Skilled Blades
Sirohi might be a forgotten town today for the tourist, from the
hundreds of battles fought for its possession, Sirohi’s
inhabitants understood the need to have arms that would both kill
quickly and be a fascinating sight to behold. Perhaps this is why
Sirohi’s blacksmiths took their skill to the jewellers, working
in tandem and producing some of the finest blades and hilts seen in
Rajasthan. Called sirohis after the town itself, these swords and
knives were rather popular in those days when war was a common word.
Made in a slight curve, the swords were an art in themselves. First,
the steel would be delicately engraved with a specific motif. Silver
and gold wires were then diligently hammered into the carved grooves.
The result was that the wires melted into the grooves, making them
appear as a part of the steel. Finally, the gold and silver which
spread out from the grooves would be carefully removed with a sharp
chisel, blending steel with silver and gold. The mark of an actual
sirohi is that steel and precious metal are so intertwined that the
seem like one flat surface when you run your finger over the surface.
¤ Kesar Vilas Palace
Kesar Vilas Palace in Sirohi has some fine gesso ornamentation in gold
and white, similar to those in Junagarh fort and in Jaipur’s City
Palace. The Kesar Vilas belongs to the Maharao of Sirohi and
permission to see it from the inside are difficult to obtain. There
are also the 17th century frescos in the Sirohi Fort.
¤ Chaumukhi Jain Temple
The four faced Chaumukhi Jain Temple is another attraction in Sirohi.
A temple dedicated to Sarneshwar Mahadeva stands on a fortified hill
which also has Rao Raj Singh’s cenotaph (1621).
¤ Sirohi Excursion
Barman Town : 28km from
Mount Abu
¤ Temple Attractions
At Barman are the ruins of an ancient temple dedicated to the sun god
Surya, built some time in the 9th century. The temple is
not accessible by a motorable road and the only way to reach it is to
walk up to it. The temple is now in desolation but the remains
silently narrate its forlorn splendour.
Built on an elevated platform, the structure comprises of a sanctum
surrounded on three sides by an open walkway typical of Hindu temples,
an anteroom, a closed hall with lateral transepts and a porch which
are enclosed by a corridor. The sanctum doorway is ornamented with
five decorative bands with a image of Surya (sun god) on the beam. A
similar image is also seen on the cardinal nichés of the
sanctum proper. The pillars are unconventionally tetragonal, plain at
the base and lavishly carved in the upper half. The carving on the
pillars and the ceilings are rich with floral decorations and reliefs
of dancers and musicians.The temple is believed to have been built in
the 9th century from its decorative and architectural
motifs and its square cross beams and the elephants projecting at the
base of the pillars in the corridors.
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