Allahabad
Brief
The city of Allahabad is 135km west of Varanasi at the confluence of two of India's holiest rivers - the Ganges and the Yamuna. The mythical Saraswati River(said to be underground - there is even some scientific research being carried out on that front), the River of Enlightenment, is also believed to join them here. The confluence, known as the 'sangam', is considered to have great soul-cleansing and sin-wiping powers thus making it a popular pilgrimage centre.
History
Built on a very ancient site, Allahabad was known as Prayag in Aryan times. Lord Brahma, the creator of the Universe, is said to have performed a sacrifice here.
The Chinese pilgrim Hiuen Tsang described visiting the city in 634 AD, and it acquired its present name in 1584, under the regime of Emperor Akbar. Emperor Akbar founded this city in 1575 and called it by name of `Illahabas', which has now become modern Allahabad. The monarch realized its strategic importance as a waterway landmark in North India and also built a magnificent fort on the banks of the holy Sangam also well known as the 'Triveni Sangam'. Later Allahabad was conquered by the Marathas, sacked by the Pathans and finally ceded to the British in 1801 by the Nawab of Avadh.
It was in Allahabad that the East India Company officially handed over the control of India to the British government in 1858, following the Mutiny. It has some beautiful remnants of their colonial architecture.
Over the centuries that followed, Allahabad remained on the forefront of national importance - more so, during the days of the Indian independence struggle. The history of Allahabad with its religious, cultural and historical ethos also gave rise to several renowned scholars, poets, writers, thinkers, statesmen and leaders.
In the early 20th century, Allahabad University was the foremost center of learning in the country. Allahabad, today is an important city where history, culture and religion create a confluence … much like the sacred rivers that caress this God-graced land.
The city was also a centre of the Indian National Congress and at the conference here in 1920, Mahatma Gandhi proposed his programme of nonviolent resistance to achieve independance.
Culture
Allahabad is among one of the largest cities in Uttar Pradesh. And according to Hindu mythology, Lord Brahma, the creator God of the Trinity, chose a land on earth, to perform the Prakrishta Yaina, the land on which the three rivers would flow in confluence.
Brahma also referred to it as `Tirth Raj' or the `king of all pilgrimage centres'. Recorded evidence also exists in the revered scriptures - the Vedas and the grand epics, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, as also in the Puranas - of this holy place formerly called Prayag.
Climate & Geogaphical Location
Allahabad is fairly cool in winters and unbearably hot in summers. The temperatures normally vary as follows:
December to February max. 22c min. 7c, March to June max. 42c min. 25c, July to November max. 33c min. 21c.
Doesn't rain much, and the rains seldom last more than a couple of hours.
Best time to visit October or January, because of the festive season and a pleasant climate
How to Reach
Rail, Road and Air connect Allahabad
Tourist Places
Central India Travel Guide
India Tours By Themes
What Our Client Says
Ashish Bhat - INDIA 25th June 2010Welcome to Incredible India, the land of prosperity which can be seen in its dynamic culture, age old traditions and geography.
Why the India Tour
Welcome to Incredible India, the land of prosperity which can be seen in its dynamic culture, age old traditions and geography.Welcome to Incredible India, the land of prosperity which can be seen in its dynamic culture, age old traditions and geography.Welcome to Incredible India, the land of prosperity which can be seen in its dynamic culture, age old traditions and geography.
