Allahabad
The City of Mahakumbh!
Allahabad Tourism
A city of many dimensions is what befits a description of Allahabad. In addition to being a major pilgrimage centre, the city has played an important part in the formation of modern India. Hindu mythology states that Lord Brahma, the creator god, chose a land for 'Prakrishta Yajna'. This land, at the confluence of three holy rivers - Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati, blessed by gods, came to be known as 'Prayag' or 'Allahabad'. Foreseeing the sanctity of the place, Lord Brahma also called it as 'Tirth Raj' or 'King of all pilgrimage centres’.' The Scriptures - Vedas and the great epics - Ramayana and Mahabharata, refer to this place as Prayag. Centuries followed. Allahabad became the headquarters of North-Western Provinces, after being shifted from Agra. Well-preserved relics of the British impact include the Muir College and the All Saints Cathedral. Many important events in India's struggle for freedom, took place here - the emergence of the first Indian National Congress in 1885, the beginning of Mahatma Gandhi's non-violence movement in 1920.
A Hub Of Culture
Allahabad definitely seems to be the chosen one when it comes to being one of the most special places in the country. With such a great confluence of the three rivers, it has a long history attached to it, and with such a glorious history comes a long-standing culture, a different lifestyle and a lot of devotion towards God. Even today, almost all the people belonging to this holy place worship the Triveni Sangam more than anything, but it is sad to see even after so much of love and devotion, both our life-giving rivers Ganga and Yamuna are being killed slowly by the amount of pollution they have to bear.
Allahabad has a very different kind of lifestyle which more or less revolves around the river. The people here are very sweet, with a proper UP accent in their voice which is very pleasant to hear.
How to reach
Allahabad is one of the most important cities in the country. It is very well connected by roads, trains as well as flights. reaching Allahabad from any part of the country is very easy.
How to Reach by Flight
Allahabad has an airport of its own but is not very busy at the moment. There are regular flights to and from Delhi, so a connecting flight from Delhi can be taken very conveniently. Else, the nearing airports are in Varanasi and Lucknow, the state capital.
How to Reach by Train
There are n number of trains which can be taken to and from Allahabad. It is, in fact, the headquarters of the North-Central division of Indian railways which makes it very well connected with the rest of the country. There are trains from all the metro cities of the country. And it is also connected to at least one city in each state of northern India.
How to Reach by Bus
Allahabad falls on NH2, which makes it very easy to reach by buses. A plethora of buses are available to reach Allahabad from the entire state of Uttar Pradesh and some nearby states as well. There are public as well as private buses which can be chosen according to one's own comfort.
How to Reach by Road
Falling on NH2, Allahabad is also a part of the Golden Quadrilateral which makes it very easy to reach by driving a car. It is very well connected by all the places falling in the Golden Quadrilateral.
How to travel within
A number of options are available to travel within the city. Auto rickshaws, rickshaws, cabs, taxis, buses, all are available and can be chosen according to one's need.
Staying in Allahabad
Allahabad being such a big city has hundreds of options for staying. It has five-star hotels, Oyo rooms, dharamshalas, everything, you name it, and you can get the kind of place you want to stay at. Heritage is valued a lot in the city and thus you can also find a lot of hotels near all the heritage sites. The food here is amazing as well. Good food is appreciated here a lot and thus you can get to experience many cuisines in just one city in India!
A general trivia-
It is near Allahabad, that the 82.5'E longitude passes in the Mirzapur district which gives the Indian Standard Time(IST)
Allahabad Itinerary
Day1:
- Start off by visiting the place Allahabad is known for, Prayag! Witness the very very holy confluence of the three rivers at Triveni Sangam.
- Stroll by the Allahabad fort, since maximum chances are, you won't be allowed to visit inside the fort.
- Visit the nearby temples.
- Get back to the Allahabad city and explore the local markets and cuisine.
Day 2:
- Visit the legendary Anand Bhawan.
- Explore the entire house-museum patiently, definitely not in a hurry, as there might be a lot of things which you can miss in a rush.
- Visit the planetarium and let the geek in you enjoy!
- Visit the bookstore in the premises of Anand Bhawan and get to know more about the city, Anand Bhawan itself.
- Head towards some mall and go for some souvenir shopping or a great meal!