Prayagraj, Sacred pilgrimage site in Uttar Pradesh, India
Prayagraj sits at the confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna, and Saraswati rivers and extends across both riverbanks with temples, bathing steps, and religious structures. The city includes several neighborhoods with wide roads, residential areas, administrative buildings, and a Mughal-era fort near the waterfront.
The site was known as Prayag in ancient India and was renamed Allahabad in 1575 by Mughal Emperor Akbar, who built a large fort by the riverbank. After Indian independence, the name was changed back to Prayagraj in 2018 to recall its original designation.
The city draws Hindu pilgrims from across India who gather for ritual bathing at the river confluence, especially during major religious festivals that occur regularly throughout the year. You will see people dressed in traditional clothing, praying, making offerings, and immersing themselves in the sacred waters while priests conduct ceremonies along the riverbanks.
If you visit between October and March, the weather will be cool and comfortable, while the summer months from April to June become very hot and the monsoon season from July to September brings heavy rain. The riverbanks are best experienced early in the morning or late in the afternoon when the heat subsides and crowds gather.
Beneath the surface at the Sangam area lies an underground temple that can only be accessed during the lowest water levels of the year. Many visitors do not realize this temple exists, as it remains submerged most of the time and becomes visible only during certain dry periods.
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