Prayagraj
Travel
Makes me Realize how much I haven't seen
About District
Prayagraj is one of the oldest cities in India. It is crowned in ancient scriptures as ‘Prayag’ or ‘Teertharaj’ and is considered the holiest of pilgrimage centres of India. It is situated at the confluence of three rivers- Ganga, Yamuna and the invisible Saraswati. The meeting point is known as Triveni and is very sacred to Hindus. The Kumbh held in every six years and Mahakumbh in every 12 years at Prayagraj (Sangam) are the largest gatherings of pilgrims on this earth.
Historically, the city has been a witness to many important events in India’s freedom struggle such as emergence of the first Indian National Congress in 1885, the beginning of Mahatma Gandhi’s non-violence movement in 1920.
Geographically, Prayagraj is located at 25.45°N 81.84°E in the southern part of the Uttar Pradesh. To its south and southeast is the Bagelkhand region, to its east is middle Ganges valley of North India, or Purvanchal, to its southwest is the Bundelkhand region, to its north and northeast is the Awadh region and to its west along with Kaushambi it forms the part of Doab i.e the Lower Doab region. In the north Pratapgarh, in the south Rewa (M.P.), in the east Sant Ravi Das Nagar and in the west Kaushambhi districts are located. The total geographical area of the district is 5482 Sq. Km. The district is divided into 8 Tehsils, 20 development Blocks and 2802 populated Villages.
Mythological Significance
Prayagraj Division also has mythological significance. The divisional headquarter is situated between the two major rivers of the state, Ganga and Yamuna and is considered to be one of the most sacred lands for Hinduism. The city of Prayagraj is also part of the ancient triangular circuit that included Kashi, Awadhpuri, (Ayodhya) and Teerthraj Prayag. Out of the 4 districts that are part of this division, Pratapgarh is in the north while Kaushambi and Fatehpur in the west.
Geographical Boundaries
The division borders Faizabad division in the north, Vindhyachal division in the east, Kanpur division in the west and Rewa district of Madhya Pradesh in the south. According to the 2011 census, the geographical area of the division is 15131 sq. km, around 6.3 percent of the total area of the state. The largest district in the division in terms of area is Prayagraj, (5482.0 sq. km.), while Kaushambi is has the smallest geographical area (1780.0 sq. km). Pratapgarh has an area of 3717.0 sq. km while Fatehpur is spread across 4152.0 sq km.
Rivers/ Mountains
Ganga and Yamuna are the main rivers of the division, but apart from these, Sai river flows through Pratapgarh, Sasur Khaderi through Fatehpur and Kaushambi and Tons through Prayagraj. There are no hills in Fatehpur, Kaushambi and Pratapgarh, but a part of Vindhyachal range is present in Tehsil Bara and Meja of Prayagraj district.
Weather/Climate & Soil Type
The climate of the division is temperate. Due to the proximity to Bundelkhand, Prayagraj and Kaushambi generally experience more heat and the situation is almost similar in other districts. According to the information received from the Meteorological Centers, in the year 2016-17, the highest temperature of the division was 48 degree centigrade and the minimum temperature was 3.7 degree centigrade.
Due to lack of normal rainfall in all the districts of the division, some district face drought while others face floods. According to the data received from the Meteorological Center, the normal rainfall of Prayagraj division in the year 2018 was 807.00 mm and the actual rainfall was 661.7 mm. The highest rainfall in the year 2018 was 1181.0 mm in Prayagraj, while normal rainfall in Fatehpur was 365.0 mm. The maximum actual rainfall Pratapgarh district was 782 mm, while the minimum actual rainfall of Fatehpur district was 503.5 mm.
The soil in Prayagraj is mainly Domat, sandy, black Domat and stony. However, in northern part of Fatehpur, it is loamy and sandy. In Pratapgarh, it is Matiyar and sandy while in Kaushambi, it is sandy.
Top Places To Visit In Prayagraj
- Triveni Sangam
Triveni Sangam is the place where the convergence of three holy rivers takes place, Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati. If you are interested in witnessing mystic rituals of Hinduism, then be ready as the Kumbh Mela takes place at this holy Sangam.
Mostly visited for:- Rituals, naga sadhus, devotional songs, prayer, and holy bath (to wash out all the sins).
- Allahabad Fort
This fort was built by the Mughal king Akbar on the banks of the Yamuna river in the 15th century. if you want to witness the Mughal architecture then this is the place to be. The ideal time for visiting the Allahabad Fort is in the morning. The fort opens at 10 am.
Mostly visited for:- Ashoka pillar, Akshyawat tree, mesmerising views of Yamuna river, Patalpuri temple.
- Allahabad Planetarium
If the planet and stars fascinate you then it is a must-visit place, a good family spot also known as Jawahar museum. India. This place was built in 1979 and is situated beside Anand Bhavan the former residence of the Nehru-Gandhi family and now a museum.
Mostly visited for:- Educational tours and knowledge of stars and planets.
- All Saints Cathedral
Also known as Patthar girja, this famous cathedral is the most visited cathedral in north India. It flaunts beautiful Gothic style architecture and curved glass paintings.
Mostly visited for:- Gothic architecture, sCulptures made of stone, plaques depicting the death of British people who died during the British rule.
- Iskcon Temple
Iskcon temple attracts thousands of people all year round.it is a beautiful temple of Krishna, and melodious devotional songs play in the background really calm your soul and soothe the mind.
Mostly visited for Janmashtami celebrations, goshala, aarti, and Krishna’s statue.
- Fun gaon waterpark
Thinking of an activity to do in summer that is both fun and cooling? Visit Fun Gaon Waterpark. It makes for an ideal day trip to Quadirpur. Totally recommended for families with kids.
Mostly visited for:- Fun rides, swimming pool, wave pool.
- Allahabad Museum
For history lovers and knowledge seekers of Allahabad, a visit to this museum is a must.it is situated in the right middle of Chandrashekhar Azad Park. Some artefacts of history and archaeology will surprise you.
Mostly visited for:-Artifacts of different historical periods of India, art gallery and sculptures.
- Ashoka pillar
This beautiful pillar was constructed by the Mauryan King Ashoka. You can find several inscriptions of famous Indian rulers on this pillar, for example, Ashoka, Samudragupta, Jahangir etc.
Mostly visited for:- Inscriptions of ancient rulers and ancient architecture.
- Allahabad public library
This library also known as Thornhill Mayne Memorial houses more than 1,20,000 books in beautiful gothic architecture. It’s one of the most visited places in Allahabad.
Mostly visited for:- books, newspaper, journals of different languages.
- Bade Hanuman Temple
In this famous temple to watch the laying statue of Hanuman, you need to go under the ground to visit the deity. A good place where you will feel at peace and have bursts of spiritual energy.
Mostly visited for:- Hanuman statue under the ground.