Prayagraj

Prayagraj (Hindi: प्रयागराज Prayāgrāj), formerly Allahabad, is one of the holiest cities in India, is in Uttar Pradesh. About 80 million people are expected to visit the Kumbh Mela, a Hindu pilgrimage in Prayagraj.

Understand
Prayagraj (pruh-yahg-rahj) is among the largest cities in Uttar Pradesh. Hindu mythology has it that for the Prakrishta Yajna, Lord Brahma, the creator God of the Hindu Trinity, chose a land on earth, on which the three rivers would flow in to a quiet confluence. Brahma also referred to it as Tirth Raj or the "king of all pilgrimage sites". Recorded evidence also exists in the Hindu scriptures (the Vedas and the grand epics, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, as also in the Puranas) of this holy place formerly called Prayag. Prayagraj stands at the confluence of two of India's holiest rivers, the Ganges and the Yamuna. Sangam, as the confluence is called, is the venue of many sacred fairs and rituals, and attracts thousands of pilgrims throughout the year. This number swells to millions during the Kumbh Mela. An annual Magh Mela is also held in Prayagraj around the Sangam areas in the month of January (Magh is the name of month in Hindu calendar). A third mythical Saraswati river, believed to flow underground towards the Sangam, gives the confluence its other name, Triveni.

Emperor Akbar renamed this city in 1575 and called it Illahabas, which turned into Allahabad. The monarch realised its strategic importance as a waterway landmark in North India and also built a magnificent fort on the banks of the holy Sangam.

Over the centuries that followed, the then-Allahabad remained on the forefront of national importance, especially during the days of the Indian independence struggle. The chequered history of Prayagraj with its religious, cultural and historical ethos also gave rise to several renowned scholars (M. N. Saha, Harishchandra, Ravindra Khattree, Amar Nath Jha), poets (Suryakant Tripathi Nirala, Mahadevi Verma, Harivansh Rai Bachchan, Sumitra Nandan Panth), writers (Mahadevi Verma, Ramkumar Verma, Jagdish Gupta), thinkers (Purusottam Das Tandon), statesmen and leaders (Motilal Nehru, Jawaharlal Nehru, Murli Manohar Joshi) and the actor Amitabh Bachchan.

The city, an important cantonment during the British Raj, has some beautiful remnants of colonial architecture. In the early 20th century, University of Allahabad was the foremost centre of learning in the country. Prayagraj today is an important city where history, culture and religion create a confluence, much like the sacred rivers that caress it.

Prayagraj used to have a thriving industrial suburb (Naini) till the 1980s, but then those public sector units started closing down one by one, forcing entire generations of young educated Prayagrajis to migrate out of the city in search of work. Today, Prayagraj is slowly inching along in its dream to be an IT hub. And the government administrative offices remain alive and kicking.

In Prayagraj, you can enjoy:
 * The politeness of "ahp" (आप, literally "us") and "hum" (हम, literally "we"), used as a form of respect instead of the singular.
 * The subtle sense of humour of the person on the street.
 * The fun of walking and travelling on rickshaws.

Get in
The best way to reach Prayagraj, if you are coming from outside India, is to take a direct flight to Delhi and then take one of the numerous connecting trains from Delhi to Prayagraj.

By train
Prayagraj is on the trunk train route from Delhi to Kolkata and from Mumbai to Kolkata, so it is well-connected by trains. Innumerable trains stop at Prayagraj.

There are several railway stations in the city, including, , and.

Most of long distance trains call at Prayagraj Junction. Rambag station is generally used by trains that terminate in the city. Prayagraj Sangam Terminal is used mainly during the important religious festivals for the better management and control of extra pilgrim traffic on those occasions.

The Howrah Rajdhani Express, though a better train, lands at a very odd hour in Prayagraj (11:43PM) from Delhi which can be inconvenient for Prayagraj being a really quiet place at night. The best train from Delhi to Prayagraj is the Prayag Raj Express which leaves from New Delhi at 9:30PM and arrives in Prayagraj at 6AM next day. The train runs every day.

The New Delhi–Prayagraj Duronto Express leaving Prayagraj for New Delhi on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 10:40PM and reaches New Delhi at 06:05AM the next day with number 2275. This is a non-stop service with AC1, AC2, AC3 and non-AC 3 Tier composition. Down service from New Delhi leaves on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays at 11:00PM and reaches Prayagraj at 06:20AM the next day with number 2276. Fares are marginally higher than other superfast and express trains.

Other express trains include:
 * From New Delhi:
 * Rajdhani: Bhubaneswar Tejas Rajdhani Express, Dibrugarh Rajdhani Express, Rajendra Nagar Terminal Tejas Rajdhani Express, Ranchi Rajdhani Express, Sealdah Rajdhani Express
 * Non-Rajdhani: Poorva Express, Prayagraj Humsafar Express, Varanasi Vande Bharat Express
 * From Old Delhi: Brahmaputra Mail, Netaji Express
 * From Howrah: Netaji Express, Poorva Express, Vibhuti Express

By car or bus
NH 19 connecting to Delhi and Kolkata, NH 35 connecting to Mirzapur, Jhansi and Udaipur, NH 30 connecting to Lucknow, Rewa and Southern India and NH 130 connecting to Sultanpur-Faizabad runs through the city. Several buses ply to and from nearby cities and towns.

Get around
Hire a cyclerickshaw. It is the cheapest, best and most widely available means of transport. You will have to haggle for the prices, though.

Auto rickshaws (3-wheelers) are also cheap modes of travel inside the city.

City buses are available on certain routes but their arrivals and departures are unpredictable.

Museums
Visit to a historical city like Prayagraj can not be complete without understanding and feeling its vibrant and varied history. The city is rich in museums and offers attractive spots for people of every discourse.

Dussehra
Dussehra is an auspicious time to visit the colorful city. In every corner of the city famous 'Ramleela' is organized with zeal and enthusiasm. Every class of society participates in the festival. Ramleela of Pattharchatti and Pajawa are worthy of seeing. Famous 'Kali dance' is organized in Daraganj in late nights of 4th, 5th and 6th days of Navratri. People horde in large numbers in narrow streets of Daraganj to see the dance.

During these days, Durga Puja is also celebrated by Bengali community which makes a major section of Prayagraj society. Puja pandals of Darbhanga colony and Jagat Taran College are the best places to enjoy the marvelous works of craftsmen of the city.

Kumbh Mela


Kumbh Mela is the best time to immerse yourself in Hindu rituals and culture, organized once in every 12 years. 2001 Kumbh Mela became the largest ever human gathering in history when 80-90 million pilgrims converged.

Kumbh Mela is the biggest festival for Hindus, the date are written in the ancient holy Vedas. The festivals of Makar Sankranti, Mauni Amavasya and Basant Panchami are the most auspicious days when 'Shahi Snaana' are held. The dates are set according to the complex Hindu calendar and change every year.

Every year, a smaller version of Kumbh called Magh Mela is organised which falls during the Hindu month of Magha (Usually January or February). Magh Mela is an auspicious time to get married and Prayagraj will be bustling with marriage processions long into the night during this period.

The Kumbh area is a massive temporary settlement of tents at up on the flood plains of the Ganga and Yamuna rivers. It is better to book the camps or hotels in advance as the number of visitors are unbelievably high and most regular accommodation sells out. Many Hindu families spend an entire month in rented tents, or in government tent camps where bunks can be booked for as little as 200IRP per night.

Getting around the camp: The camp area was 40km long in 2019 and vehicles are generally banned (gurus and tourists on motorcycles are sometimes permitted). Ensure you know which sector your camp is in and arrive on the right edge or you could be forced to walk more than 10km. There is generally no English signage, so asking police for directions may be your best option. Temporary bridges across the river are generally one way, and the direction changes seemingly at random as police try to control the crowds.

For safety advice, see below.

Bhagwan Shri Dwadsh Madhav Yearly Parikrama
The parikrama of Bhagwam Shri Dwadash Madhav is the holiest and oldest parikrama on earth. Bhagwan Shri Madhav ji is the chief deity of Prayagraj, known as Tirthraj (king of holy places). In parikrama, the devotee walks around the deity. As per Bhardwaj muni, sins of this birth and previous births are dissolved by performing this holy parikrama. The punya (good karma) rises by this. This parikrama is able to fulfill all desires of devotee. This parikrama was restarted in 2014, after a long gap of 600 years. This parikrama is of about 100 km. A yearly parikrama is usually organised in November.

Buy

 * Guavas are best bought in winter. The red-spotted guavas available in plenty (and at unbelievably cheap prices) are a major attraction.
 * Mangoes in summer
 * Namkeens at LokNath, Chowk

Eat
Prayagraj can be a delight for those who are made for flavour. If you are in Prayagraj, then do not forget to enjoy the Mughalai cuisine of North India.Out of innumerable spots for having delicacies of the North Indian cuisine, a mere glimpse is here. Loknath area of the city may be your favorite spot if you are foody and comfortable with hustle and bustle of 'ilahabadi raunak'. Try chaat from the street side stalls.

Budget
Cheap eats can be found at Chowk bazaar, the historic city centre. So take a bus and get off at Jawahar Square Chowk, then amble down the Loknath Line and tackle the stalls on both sides. This street is the heart of the historic city centre as well as its stomach. The smells are unbelievable. Great eateries are reported below:

In every area of the city there are options and variety for cheap foods. Below some tips:


 * The best crepes from rice batter and black lentils (Masala Dosa) are sold in the stalls around Motilal Nehru Medical College
 * Cheap 'Dhaba style' restaurants are located near the railway station. They are a good option for having a heavy Mughalai nosh-up. Try at Leader & Station Rd (+91 80049 22576).
 * Baati Chokha Near
 * Chaat at Bahrana Triangle
 * Kachauri (spicy snacks with normal thali) at (University gate)
 * Enjoy 'Paan' - Indian mouth freshener, kiosks at every step in the city

Drink
Pubs are very few. Glassy Junction at hotel Milan Palace, Civil Lines, is a good one to hang around on weekends. Another place that comes closest to being a pub is on the top floor of the Kanha Shyam hotel in Civil Lines. Some restaurants, like Hasty Tasty restaurant, Hotel Regency, and the Tourist Bungalow, all situated in Civil Lines, offer chilled beer and liquor. However, most other restaurants do not have liquor on their menu. Drinking in public is frowned upon, drinking in family restaurants is not allowed at all.

Sleep
Prayagraj is the host of the largest gathering in the world and rich in hotels in almost every part of the city.Details of a few of them are here.

Budget
Various dharmshalas are available at negligible charges in old city. Daraganj and Kydganj have plenty of Dharmshalas which are freely available.

Stay safe

 * Power outages are frequent so be prepared and carry a flashlight. Alleys are hard to navigate during the day, and even harder at night, so always be prepared. Sometimes you might run into a cow in an alley.
 * Women should dress conservatively and be very careful as sexual assaults, such as random gropings, can be common. Don't travel alone, especially in less populated areas.

Safety at Kumbh
Deadly stampedes during Kumbh are commonplace: the enormous crowds frequently panic and defy police. Be aware of your surroundings, especially around the train station, bridges and rivers' edge.

Basic sanitation is lacking in many areas. Pilgrims not using toilets, flooding, and lack of drainage make diarrhea outbreaks common. Drink and use only bottled water and bring anti-diarrhea medication.

Alcohol is strictly forbidden, as are glass bottles and glasses.

Cope

 * Knowing some basic Hindi and/or Urdu will help, although you can manage with English.
 * Be prepared to haggle with cyclerickshaw pullers (the best means of transport), for a short trip the price should be about ₹50, autorickshaws slightly less.

Go next

 * Agra there is an overnight sleeper from Prayagraj but it leaves at 11:15 at night and takes approx. 7 hours.
 * Chandauli - Chandra Prabha Wildlife Sanctuary (Chandraprabha)
 * Chitrakoot
 * Lucknow
 * Mirzapur - Vindham Falls
 * Nandan Kanan amusement park - Water park with pools and slides
 * Pratapgarh - Belha Devi Temple and multiple temples located in city of Pratapgarh
 * Rishabdev Tapasthali - Beautiful Jain Temples in Jusi, about 15 km from Prayagraj on the road toward Varanasi. The place has arrangements for stay and food. (Call +91-532-2567067, +91-9956260218)
 * Satna by train - and bus to Khajuraho
 * Tones river
 * Varanasi
 * Jaunpur (100 km): Meideval town with a fort along with several mosques and tombs