Allahabad: Prayag, Kumbh

Allahabad, is a name given by Mughal kings to the ancient Prayag being the second oldest city of India, in the North Indian state of Uttar Pradesh and administrative headquarters of Allahabad District. Allahabad is one of the fastest growing cities in India at present. It is located 205 kilometres (127 mi) south of state capital Lucknow. The ancient name of the city Prayag (Sanskrit refers to it as a "place of sacrifice") and is believed to be the spot where Brahma offered his first sacrifice after creating the world. It is one of four sites of the mass Hindu pilgrimage Kumbh Mela, the others being Haridwar, Ujjain and Nashik. It has a position of importance in Hindu scriptures for it is situated at Triveni Sangam, the confluence of the holy rivers Ganges and Yamuna, and the ancient Sarasvati River.

Allahabad is home to seven out of fourteen Prime Ministers of India. Jawaharlal Nehru, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Gulzarilal Nanda, Vishwanath Pratap Singh and Chandra Shekhar were all either born in Allahabad, were alumni of Allahabad University or got elected from a constituency in Allahabad.

Places to See:


Sangam and surroundings

Anand Bhavan

New Yamuna Bridge, Yamuna bank road

Company Bagh,Alfred Park and Allahabad Museum

Allahabad High Court building

All Saints Cathedral 

Ewing Christian College

Kumbh Mela

Every year thousands gather at Allahabad to take part in the festival on the banks of the Ganges, the Magh Mela. The same festival is organised in a larger scale every 12th year and attracts millions of people and is called the Kumbha Mela. Kumbh Mela (especially the Maha Kumbh Mela) is the most sacred of all the pilgrimages. Thousands of holy men and women (monks, saints and sadhus) attend, and the auspiciousness of the festival is in part attributable to this. The sadhus are seen clad in saffron sheets with plenty of ashes and powder dabbed on their skin per the requirements of ancient traditions. Some called nanga sanyasis or 'Dhigambers' may often be seen without any clothes even in severe winter, generally considered to live an extreme lifestyle. This tends to attract a lot of western attention as it is seemingly in contrast to a generally conservative social modesty practised in the country.

Architecture of Allahabad

The imprint of the British and Mughals can be seen in buildings, gardens and places in Allahabad. The styles of buildings reflect a good mix of western Gothic and Mughal architectures.

All Saints Cathedral, designed by great English architect William Emerson who also designed Victoria Memorial of Calcutta. This cathedral is the most beautiful building in city. Styled in 13th Century Gothic architecture, building's interior is more beautiful than its exterior with high ceilings and stone Gothic arches.

Muir College (1874), designed by William Emerson, in Indo-Saracenic architecture, an excellent mix of Gothic and Indian architectural elements. Its foundation was laid in 1874 and opened in 1886. It has an arcade quadrangle, which is dominated, by a 200 feet (61 m) minaret tower in cream coloured sandstone from Mirzapur with marble and mosaic floors. The domes of the Indo-Saracenic structure are clad in Multan glazed tiles.

University Science Faculty buildings have classical architectural designs and have strong Victorian and Islamic style architectural influences.

Allahabad High Court (1916) - Chief Justice, Sir John Staley laid the foundation in 1911. It was finally completed in 1916 and opened by Viceroy Lord Chelmsford. Designed by Frank Lishman. this structure is subtly adapted to the climate as is evident from the double roofing with tiles from Allahabad on top to beat the summer heat. Conceived in a grand fashion, it has a domed pediment centre, arcade wings, stone balustrades and engrained arches. It reflects a beautiful synthesis of Eastern and Western architectural styles.

Khusro Bagh - The three sandstone mausoleums within this walled garden, present an exquisite example of Mughal architecture. Public Library (1864)- Standing at Alfred Park it is a beautiful building designed by R.Roskell Rayne. This public library is another remarkable example of Gothic Style. The memorial has a lofty tower and accorded cloisters.

The Old High Court and Public Offices - They are four-storied block. Made of sandstone and ashore these were built by Colonel Pile in I 870 in the classical style. The Minto Park to the west of the ton has a Memorial Pillar enriched with Royal medallions and four lions carrying the Imperial coronet. This was a memorial pillar to the Royal Proclamation of the assumption of rule by the British crown in 1858. The Municipal Museum adjoining the library is yet another colonial structure that is a treasure-trove of archaeological artifacts.

The new Yamuna bridge built jointly by Hindustan Construction Company and Hyundai Engineering and Construction, is India's first cable stayed four lane road bridge in India, representing modern design structure. This large bridge has two pylons made of concrete, which support a large part of bridge deck with the help of attached steel cables............
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