Bathing in the Ganges River Allahabad Uttar Pradesh
Allahabad or Prayag as it was previously called is one of the most
ancient cities in India. It is famous for housing the hugely famous
Kumbha Mela celebrated once in 12 years at the confluence of the
Ganges, Yamuna and mythological Saraswati river. The ancient origin of
the city has brought it a rich heritage that have enriched the culture
of the city immensely. The divinity and sacred culture of the city has
given the country a number of national leaders and thinkers to lead
the common people of the country. As you will visit the city, the
simple and clam lifestyle of the city will definitely steal your
heart.
Divine Attractions of the City |
Kumbha
Mela |
The ancient city of Allahabad is full of divine attractions which
includes the world famous Kumbh Mela held once in twelve years. Here
are some special attributes of the city -
Sangam
Sangam is the sacred place where three holy rivers Ganga, Yamuna and
Saraswati meet. It is also well known as Triveni Sangam and is
considered to be the most holy bathing destination is India. The
famous Kumbha Mela is celebrated at this very place and it is widely
believed that bathing here at this auspicious time helps you to attain
Moksha (salvation). The Ganges here is muddy-coloured and shallow
while Yamuna is blue and deep. The invisible river Saraswati is
considered to flow underground and can't be seen.
Allahabad Fort
Built by Akbar in 1583, this huge fort commands over the environment
with its grandeur of Mughal architecture. Nestles on the bank of
Yamuna river near the Sangam, it houses a 35 ft high Ashoka Pillar
inside the fort. Since the fort is in the control of army, a written
permission is required to enter in it.
Hanuman Temple
A small ancient temple dedicated to Hanumana is one of the prime
attractions of Allahabad. Situated a few feet below the ground, the
temple houses Hanumana in a reclining posture. It is said that every
year the Ganges floods until it touches the holy foot of sleeping
Hanumana and then only starts receding. Located by the Sangam side,
this temple is open to non-Hindus also.
Anand Bhavan
The ancestral house of Nehru family is a must see in Allahabad. This
beautiful house stores the heritage of Motilal Nehru, Jawaharlal
Nehru, India's first prime minister, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi.
You can also visit the room where Mahatma Gandhi used to stay and
work. It is open daily 9:30 am to 5 pm, except on Mondays.
Allahabad Museum
This ancient museum stores the true heritage of Allahabad in its
walls. The ivory Krishna Arjuna on the carved sandalwood chariot is
the main attraction of the museum. It is open from 10:3 am to 4:30 pm
and remains closed on Mondays.
Getting There
By Air
Allahabad has a domestic airport which offers connection to some of
the selected cities of the countries. But the nearby airports at
Varanasi (140 km) and Lucknow (210 km) offer regular flight service to
almost all the major cities of India including Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata,
Ahmedabad, Hyderabad and Bangalore.
By Rail
Allahabad is one of the major railway hubs in India with four railway
stations Prayag station, City station, Daraganj station and
Allahabad junction. Some major trains connecting Allahabad with the
rest of the country are Prayag Raj Express (Allahabad - New Delhi),
Brahmaputra Mail (Guwahati Allahabad New Delhi), Bombay
Mail (Howrah Allahabad Mumbai) and Toofan Express
(Ganganagar Allahabad Howrah).
By Road
Allahabad is on the national highways 2 and 27. Regular bus services
connect Allahabad with rest of the country. The good roads make the
journey to Allahabad relaxing and enjoying. Some impostant road
distances are : Varanasi 125 km, Ayodhya 167 km, Lucknow
204 km, Khajuraho 294 km and Delhi 643 km.