ALLAHABAD
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.
|
