Allahabad is the English name of a city of Uttar Pradesh. The name is derived from
the one given to the city by the Mughal Emperor Akbar in 1583. The name in Indian
languages or in India generally is Ilahabad; ilah being Arabic for "(a) god" (in this
context from Din-i-Ilahi, the religion founded by Akbar), and "-abad" is Persian for
"place of".
The ancient name of the city is Prayaga (Sanskrit for "place of sacrifice", Prayag in
modern Hindi) and is believed to be the spot where Brahma offered his first sacrifice
after creating the world. It is one of four sites of the Kumbh Mela, the others being
Haridwar, Ujjain and Nasik. It has a position of importance in the Hindu religion and
mythology since it is situated at the confluence of the holy rivers Ganga and Yamuna,
and Hindu belief says that the invisible Sarasvati River joins here also.
Allahabad or Prayagraj is a historian's paradise. History lies embedded everywhere,
in its fields, forests and settlements. Forty-eight kilometres, towards the southwest,
on the placid banks of the Jamuna, the ruins of Kaushambi, at one time capital of the
Vatsa kingdom and later a thriving center of Buddhism, bear silent testimony to a
forgotten and bygone era. On the eastern side, across the river Ganga and
connected to the city by the Shastri Bridge is Jhunsi, identified with the ancient city of
Pratisthanpur, capital of the Chandra dynasty. About 58 kilometres northwest is the
medieval site of Kara with its impressive wreckage of Jayachand's fort. Sringverpur,
another ancient site discovered relatively recently, has become a major attraction for
tourists and antiquarians alike.
PLACE TO VISIT
Allahabad Fort - at Allahabad, India was built by Emperor Akbar in 1583. The fort stands on the banks of the Yamuna near the confluence site. It is the largest fort built by Akbar. In its prime, the fort was unrivaled for its design, construction and craftsmanship. This huge, majestic fort has three magnificent galleries flanked by high towers. At present is used by the army and only a limited area is open to visitors. The magnificent outer wall is intact and rises above the water'’edge. Inside the fort there is the Zenana, Jodhabai Palace and the 3rd century BC Ashoka pillar and Saraswati Koop as well, said to be the source of the Saraswati river. The Patalpur temple is also here.
Someshwar Mahadev Temple - is an ancient temple situated in the Arail area across Sangam opposite Allahabad Fort. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shankar.
Anand Bhavan - is a large mansion located in Allahabad, India. Established by Indian political leader Motilal Nehru in the 19th century, it has served as the ancestral home of the Nehru-Gandhi Family — future Prime Ministers of India Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi were born there. Today it has been converted into a memorial and museum.
Jawahar Planetarium - is located in the city of Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh, India. It was built in 1979 and is situated beside Anand Bhavan.
The Triveni Sangam - in Allahabad is a confluence of three rivers, the Ganga,
Yamuna and Saraswati. Of these three, river Saraswati is invisible and is said to be
flowing beneath the earth. It meets the other two rivers from the base. The point of
confluence is a sacred place for the Hindus. A bath here is said to wash all the sins
and free human from the cycle of birth. The site of Sangam is a treat to the eyes. One
can see the muddy and pale yellow water of Ganges merging with green water of
Yamuna. The Ganges is only 4 ft deep, while Yamuna is 40 ft deep near the point of
nexus. The river Yamuna ends at this point and Ganges continues after this until it
meets the sea at the Bay of Bengal.
Alopi Devi Mandir - is situated in Alopibagh in Allahabad. This place is very
near to the holy Sangam where the rivers Ganges, Yamuna and the legendary
Sarasvati meet. Kumbh Mela ground is very near to this place.
HOW TO REACH
Best way to reach Allahabad, if you are coming from outside India, is to take a direct
flight to New Delhi and then take one of the numerous connecting trains from New
Delhi to Allahabad. The Kolkata Rajdhani express, though a better train, lands at a
very odd hour in Allahabad (2343 hrs IST) from New Delhi which can be inconvenient
for Allahabad being a really quiet place at night. Best train from New Delhi to
Allahabad is the PrayagRaj Express (Train No. 2418) which leaves from New Delhi
Railway Station at 2130 hrs IST and arrives in Allahabad at 0630 hrs IST next day.
The train runs every day.
By plane - There are not any direct flights to Allahabad. Some airlines such as
Air Sahara and Kingfisher have hopping flights from Delhi, but these are few and far
between. The nearest better-connected airport is Varanasi, 120 kms away (2.5 hours
by road on NH-2).
By train - Allahabad is situated on the trunk train route from New Delhi to Kolkata
and from Mumbai to Kolkata, so it is well-connected by trains. Innumerable trains
stop at Allahabad. The city has three railway stations - Prayag (near the University),
Rambagh (city centre), and Allahabad Junction (the main station).
By bus - Allahabad is on NH2 and NH27 and is, therefore, well connected by
road. Several buses ply to and from nearby cities and towns.
