📜 Ancient Name: Prayaga 🏛️ Mughal Era: Illahabad 🇮🇳 Modern: Prayagraj
Prayagraj, formerly known as Allahabad, is one of India's oldest and most sacred cities. Located at the Triveni Sangam — the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati rivers — it has been a center of pilgrimage for thousands of years. The city finds mention in the Vedas and the Ramayana, where Lord Brahma is said to have performed the first sacrifice here.
During the Mughal era, Emperor Akbar founded a fort here in 1583 and named the city Illahabad (City of Allah). It later became a major center during the British Raj, serving as the capital of the United Provinces. Prayagraj is also the birthplace of Jawaharlal Nehru (Anand Bhawan) and a key location in India's freedom struggle.
Today, the city is world-famous for the Kumbh Mela, held every 12 years, the largest religious gathering on Earth. In 2018, the city was officially renamed from Allahabad to Prayagraj, restoring its ancient identity.
The ancestral home of the Nehru family, now a museum showcasing Indian history, freedom struggle artifacts, and personal belongings of Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi.
A walled garden with beautiful Mughal mausoleums built by Emperor Jahangir for his son Khusrau Mirza. Stunning red sandstone architecture and intricate Persian inscriptions.
Holds rare artifacts from the freedom struggle, ancient sculptures, terracotta, coins, and a special gallery dedicated to Jawaharlal Nehru and the First War of Independence (1857).
The largest park in Prayagraj, renamed after freedom fighter Chandra Shekhar Azad who sacrificed his life here in 1931. Features a memorial and lush green landscapes.
A stunning example of 19th-century Victorian Gothic architecture, often called the "Patthar Girja" (Stone Church). Features beautiful stained glass windows and a 188-foot tower.
One of the 51 Shakti Peethas where Goddess Sati's right hand fingers are believed to have fallen. The temple is unique as there is no idol, only a sacred pit representing the Goddess.
An ancient temple on the banks of the Ganges dedicated to Vasuki, the king of serpents. It is believed that Lord Krishna performed his Raas Leela here and Lord Ram worshipped Vasuki before crossing the Ganges.