Allahabad, also known by its ancient name Prayag is one of the oldest cities in India. This popular destination in Uttar Pradesh has seen several days of administrative, cultural, and political influence from the time since it was the capital of Hastinapur during the reign of Kuru rulers. This is why tourists having interest in ancient culture, tradition, and are excited to know about history are always keen to explore this wonderful city.
Allahabad, the State that hosts the largest and the grandest Hindu pilgrimage festival, is one of those cities where several great leaders and legends were born. The city was originally called as Kausambi and Prayag but nowadays it is usually called as Allahabad. This ancient city has a great influence over Indian history, politics, spiritualism, and religion that can never be overstated.
Lord Brahma, the creator of the universe is the most worshipped deity in the city and there are several temples dedicated to the supreme deity of Hinduism. The city is reckoned as a venue for the grand celebration of Kumbh Mela and for boasting edifices including the gorgeous Allahabad University, Allahabad Fort, and Anand Bhawan, an ancestral home of Nehru family.
The city is not only home to the Nehru family but also a few other prime ministers of India. Keep on scrolling down the pages of the blog to inculcate more interest and excitement in exploring Allahabad because here we have brought you up with the best of the city so that you don't miss out anything that is worth experiencing.
Inarguably, the city is renowned as the second home of Hindu devotees as it is the same place where the three holiest rivers of India - Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati meet. It is also believed to be the place where many saints and sages meditated and attained salvation. The impeccable significance of Allahabad can also be understood by the fact that it has been mentioned in the ancient texts of the holy epic Mahabharata.
If you are also excited to explore the wonders of this beautiful city then check out the below mentioned points stating lesser-known facts about Allahabad and enjoy a wonderful time with your family, friends, or life partner. Also, check out the beautifully crafted Allahabad tour packages to make your journey more exciting and memorable.
The most popular tourist attractions in Allahabad are as follows:
1. Bade Hanuman Ji Mandir
An unknown fact for many of the travelers is that on the spiritual land of Allahabad, there is an ancient Hanuman Temple established that gets submerged into River Ganges when the water of the river flows with its full speed. There is a deep belief among locals that Goddess Ganga when wants to touch the feet of Lord Hanuman then she increases her water level.
The temple happens to be one of the most significant landmarks in the city and is so flocked by thousands of devotees to worship a 20 feet tall statue of the deity.
2. Khusro Bagh
Khusrau Bagh is a large walled burial complex and a garden located in Allahabad. Situated over 40 acres and shaped as a quadrangle it includes the tombs of 4th Mughal emperor Jahangir's wife Shah Begum, Jahangir’s eldest son Khusrau Mirza and Jahangir's daughter Nithar Begum.
Khusro Bagh, a quadrilateral-shaped walled garden is one of the must visit places in Allahabad as the structure portrays the beauty of Mughal architecture and tells you many more things about the particular dynasty. Sprawling over an area of almost 40 acres of land, khusro Bagh is the burial ground for the eldest son of Jahangir, Prince Khusro.
There are three other tombs that a traveler can discover on their visit to this historical place – tomb of Shah Begum (1st wife of the ruler), Nesa Begum (daughter of Jahangir) and the last tomb belongs to an unknown person.
Visiting Time: Throughout the week between 5 am and 7 pm.
3. Triveni Sangam
The Triveni Sangam is the point of confluence of three rivers namely Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati (a mythical river which is supposed to have dried up thousands of year ago) located in Allahabad. The point of confluence is regarded as one of the holiest places in Hinduism.
Every 12 years, the city is decorated like a bride and the entire city gets filled with immense spiritual ambiance when Maha Kumbh Mela is organized. People from far across the world come to participate in this grand festive season and to pay offerings to the deities. Also, after every 6 years, the city celebrates Ardh Kumbh Mela festival in which thousands of devotees take part to witness the incredible spiritual significance.
One of the most crowded and sacred places in the city, Triveni Sangam is a place where the three holiest rivers of India - Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati meet with each other. However, people don’t find it difficult to recognize the rivers as they maintain their original colors. Hindus believe that taking dip into this holy auspicious junction washes their sins and people attain liberation from the cycle of birth of death.
Although the junction is always crowded with the devotees yet during the festive season of Kumbh Mela, you will find a massive crowd here. Among the four cities, the place where this pilgrimage is most important is in Prayagraj, the city where the most sacred river Ganges, Yamuna and Saraswati converge.
Kumbh Mela is considered the largest pilgrimage in the world and in 2018 was named Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. An event that brings together more than 100 million people who come to the banks of the river to bathe. In Allahabad, people go by boat to the point of union of the three sacred rivers. It is a pilgrimage that takes place four times every twelve years.
4. Old Naini Bridge
The Old Naini Bridge is a double-decked steel-truss bridge located in Allahabad. It is one of the longest and oldest bridges in India. The bridge runs across the Yamuna river connecting the city of Allahabad to the neighbouring area of Naini. It is used as roadway and railway simultaneously.
5. New Yamuna Bridge
The New Yamuna Bridge is a cable-stayed bridge located in Allahabad. It was constructed in 2004 in order to minimize the traffic over the Old Naini Bridge. The bridge runs across the Yamuna river connecting the city of Allahabad to the neighbouring area of Naini.
6. Prayagraj Fort
Allahabad Fort was built by the third Mughal emperor Akbar in 1583. The fort stands on the banks of river Yamuna. It is the largest fort ever built by Akbar. Most of the fort is occupied by the Indian Army and a limited area is open for tourists.
7. Allahabad Museum
The Allahabad Museum is a national-level museum located in Allahabad. It is situated inside Chandrashekhar Azad Park. It was originally established in 1931 under the control of Allahabad municipality as a natural museum. The museum uses solar energy and has become first museum in India to become self-reliant in power generation.
8. Jawahar Planetarium
The Jawahar Planetarium named after Jawaharlal Nehru is a planetarium located inside Anand Bhawan. It has a capacity to seat 80 people.
9. Chandrashekhar Azad Park
Chandrashekhar Azad Park is a public park in Allahabad. It is also known by it's former name Alfred Park and Company Bagh. It was built in 1870 to mark Prince Alfred's (Queen Victoria's son) visit to Allahabad. With an area of 133 acres, it is the largest park in Allahabad.
Hathi Park also known as Sumitra Nandan Park is a public park situated opposite to Chandrashekhar Azad Park in Allahabad. A huge stone elephant slider is the main attraction of the park. The park also has a small zoo. It is the most famous children's park in Allahabad.
10. Anand Bhawan
Anand Bhavan is a historic house museum located in Allahabad. It was constructed by Indian political leader Motilal Nehru in the 1930s to serve as the residence of the Nehru family. The mansion once stood witness to the lives of Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi. Anand Bhavan was donated to Indian government by Indira Gandhi and converted into a museum.
Despite being reckoned as the Sangam City and the land of pilgrimage places, Allahabad is also popular as the city of Prime Ministers as per an account, almost 50% of the total number of prime ministers in India were born in Allahabad. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Gulzarilal Nanda, Rajiv Gandhi, Lal Bahadur Shashtri, Indira Gandhi, etc. are few of those leaders who were born here.
Allahabad had played a great role in the struggle of Indian independence as it boasts Anand Bhawan, the residence of the Nehru Family. This beautiful two-storied structure is preserved in a very well manner and on your visit to this historical place you will get to witness several belongings of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, his father Motilal Nehru, and other family members.
Also, it is believed that there is a small room built in this house where Gandhi stayed for a few days when he was in the city.
The glory of this impressive city in Uttar Pradesh is never ending and expressing them altogether in a single article is not easy and fair, so if you are excited to know more about the city then do follow us and share the content with your known ones. We would also love to hear your thoughts about this post, so we would request you to take out a few seconds and share your feedback in the comment box below.
