Aarjya (Arjya) (Chavda clan), a town in Bhilwara District, 150 km. from Udaipur; jagir of the descendants of Maharana Jawan Singh's maternal uncle, Jagat Singh of Barsora in Mahikantha, Gujarat. Jagat Singh's two sons, Kuber Singh and Jalam Singh came to Udaipur with Maharana Jawan Singh and were granted, jointly, the jagirs of Aarjya and Kaladwas.

Genealogy: Kuber Singh/Jalam Singh; Fateh Singh; Pratap Singh; Jorowar Singh; Amar Singh; Nahar Singh.

aarti, (Hindi) worship; also a brass or silver lamp stand for puja in a home or temple. Cotton wicks dipped in butter oil are placed in the lamp and lit at the time of worship.

aasan (Hindi), a seat for hermits or sadhus. See also SINHASAN and SANGA AND PRITHVI RAJ.

Abdulkar (a Sufi): see BABA DIWAN SHAH.

Abdulla, commander of the Mughal garrison which had taken over Kumbhalgarh after the Battle of HALDIGHATI (1576). Abdulla and his men were slaughtered when Maharana PRATAP SINGH I (1572-1597) retook the fortress.

Abhaya Singh (Abhai, Abhey). There were several leading members of clans who had this name. Kunwar Abhaya Singh was one of the nine sons of Rana Laksha of Sisoda who accompanied their father to Chittor when Sultan Ala-ud-Din Khilji attacked the fort in 1303. He was among the hundreds of Mewar warriors killed during the battle. Others of this name came from Bassi (Choondawat); Bhunas (Baba Ranawat), Karjali (Ranawat), and Peeladhar (Sisodia).

Abu Road, a town situated in the foothills of, and giving access to, MT. ABU.

Abu, Mount, Rajasthan's only hill station in the Aravallis, about 261 km. west of Udaipur, rare in that it is in the largely flat desert land of Rajasthan. Massive and forbidding, Mount Abu rises majestically from the foothills, dominating the surrounding plains for many kilometres. Reaching there from Udaipur, about a five-hour drive, takes the visitor through a most picturesque journey through the foothills and up the high mountain. (It is best to start out early as the mid-morning haze tends to lessen the sharpness-and the air of mystery-of the scenic panoramas.) Its slopes are thickly forested, with a surprising number and variety of palm trees. At 1,200 m. above sea level, the mountain is blessed with lakes and meadows and abundant flora. One feature, the man-made Nakki Lake, is dotted with small islands, and is dominated by the huge overhang, Toad Rock. Other popular natural beauty venues are Sunset Point and Honeymoon Point (Anadra Point), both of which provide awesome vistas of the plain and the Banas River far, far below.

Legends: The god Abu is said to be the son of the Himalayas, the name being derived from Arbuda, a serpent that came to the rescue of Lord Shiva's sacred bull, Nandi. Another legend considers that Mt. Abu was the home of the revered sage Vashista, from whose sacrificial fire rose the four clans of the Rajput warriors who then settled throughout Rajputana.

Being a pilgrimage centre for followers of the Jain religion, the city has the famous DILWARA JAIN TEMPLES. Other pilgrimage sites include the Chandravati Temple; Gaumukh Temple beside a stream which is channelled through the mouth of a marble cow (Hindi: 'gau'; 'mukh' is 'mouth') with about seven hundred and fifty steps to climb down to reach it; the Arbud Devi Temple, a Jain temple chiselled out of rock, accessible by vehicle up to 5 km., then about seven hundred steps to the shrine at the top; and the Shri Raghunath Temple near Nakki Lake.

Achad: see ACHAL.

Achal: see ACHALDAS.

Achaldas. There were several leading members of clans who had this name. They came from Bansi (Saktawat); Bassi (Choondawat); Begun (Choondawat), brother of Kalimegh of Begun, and Vijaipur (Saktawat).

Achalgarh (Achalgadh), an historic locality near AHAR during the period when that city was the capital of Mewar.

Achalgarh (Achalgadh), a town 11 km. from MT. ABU; of importance are a Shiva temple, and beautifully carved statues on the banks of the nearby Mandakini tank (reservoir).

Acharya Hari Bhadra Suri, a renowned Jain saint and scholar. A monument in his honour, constructed by Padmashri Muni Jinvijayaji can be found in Chittor.