Allahabad or Prayagraj is a historian’s paradise. History lies embedded everywhere, in its fields, forests and settlements. Forty-eight kilometres, towards the southwest, on the placid banks of the Jamuna, the ruins of Kaushambi, capital of the Vatsa kingdom and a thriving center of Buddhism, bear silent testimony to a forgotten and bygone era. On the eastern side, across the river Ganga and connected to the city by the Shastri Bridge is Jhunsi, identified with the ancient city of Pratisthanpur, capital of the Chandra dynasty.

About 58 kilometres northwest is the medieval site of Kara with its impressive wreckage of Jayachand’s fort. Sringverpur, another ancient site discovered relatively recently, has become a major attraction for tourists and antiquarians alike.

Prayag is an extremely important and integral part of the Ganga Yamuna Doab, and its history is inherently tied with that of the Doab region, right from the inception of the
town.

The city was known earlier as Prayaga – a name that is still commonly used. That it is an
ancient town, is illustrated by supposed references in the Vedas to Prayag, where
Brahma, the Hindu Creator of the Universe, is believed to have attended a sacrificial
ritual. Excavations have revealed Northern Black Polished ware objects in Prayag, further
corroborating the conjecture that Prayag existed as a town as early as 600 B.C.
The Puranas record that Yayati left Prayag and conquered the region of Saptha Sindhu.[1]
His five sons Yadu, Druhyu, Puru, Anu and Turvashu became the main tribes of the
Rigveda.

When the Aryans first settled in what they termed the Aryavarta, or Madhyadesha,
Prayag or Kaushambi was an important part of their territory. The Vatsa (a branch of the
early Indo-Aryans) were rulers of Hastinapur (near present day Delhi), and they
established the town of Kaushambi near present day Prayag. They shifted their capital to
Kaushambi when Hastinapur was destroyed by floods.

In the times of the Ramayana, Prayag was made up of a few rishis’ huts at the confluence
of the sacred rivers, and much of the vats country was continuous jungle. Lord Rama, the
main protagonist in the Ramayana, spent some time here, at the Ashram of Sage
Bharadwaj, before proceeding to nearby Chitrakoot.

The Doaba region, including Prayag was controlled by several empires and dynasties in
the ages to come. It became a part of the Mauryan and Gupta empires of the east and the
Kushan empire of the west before becoming part of the local Kannauj empire which
became very powerful.

Objects unearthed in Prayag indicate that it was part of the Kushana empire in the 1st
century AD. In his memoirs on India, Huien Tsang, the Chinese chronicler who travelled
through India during Harshavardhana’s reign (A.D. 607-647), writes that he visited
Prayag in A.D. 643.

When the Muslim rule came, Prayag became a part of the Delhi Sultanate when the town
was annexed by Mhd Ghori in A.D. 1193. Then the Mughals took over from the slave
rulers of Delhi and under them Prayag rose to prominence once again.

Acknowledging the strategic position of Prayag in the Doaba or the “Hindostan” region,
at the confluence of its defining rivers which had immense navigational potentials, Akbar
built a magnificent fort – one of his largest – on the banks of the holy Sangam and rechristened
the town as Illahabad in 1575. The Akbar fort has an Ashokan pillar and some
temples, and is largely a military barracks. On the southwestern extremity of Allahabad
lies Khusrobagh; it has three mausoleums, including that of Jehangir’s first wife – Shah
Begum.

It was from Allahabad that Prince Salim, later to become emperor Jehangir, revolted
against his father, the Mughal emperor Akbar. In 1602, prince Salim held a parallel
imperial court in Akbar’s fort here, ignoring the royal summons to leave Allahabad and
proceed to Agra. However, before his death in 1605, Akbar named Salim his successor.
Before colonial rule was imposed over Allahabad, the city was rocked by Maratha
incursions. But the Marathas also left behind two beautiful eighteenth century temples
with intricate architecture.

In 1765, the combined forces of the Nawab of Awadh and the Mughal emperor Shah
Alam II lost the Battle of Buxar to the British. Although, the British did not take over
their states, they established a garrison at the Prayag fort – realising its strategic position
as the gateway to the north west. Governor General Warren Hastings later took Allahabad
from Shah Alam and gave it to Awadh alleging that he had placed himself in the power
of the Marathas.

In 1801 the Nawab of Awadh ceded the city to the British East India Company.
Gradually the other parts of Doaba and adjoining region in its west (including Delhi and
Ajmer-Mewara regions) were won by the British. When these north western areas were
made into a new Presidency called the “North Western Provinces of Agra”, its capital was
Agra. Allahabad remained an important part of this state.

In 1834, Allahabad became the seat of the Government of the Agra Province and a High
Court was established. But a year later both were relocated to Agra.

In 1857,Allahabad was active in the Indian Mutiny. After the mutiny, the British
truncated the Delhi region of the state, merging it with Punjab and transferred the capital
of North west Provinces to Allahabad, which remained so for the next 20 years.

In 1877 the two provinces of Agra (NWPA) and Awadh were merged to form a new state
which was called the United Provinces. Allahabad was the capital of this new state till the
1920s.

Union Bank of India, Head Branch, 49M.G. Marg,
Civil LinesAllahabad .
Phones:+91 (0532)2623658 & 2603152.

The next Maha Kumbh Mela will be held in Allahabad in the year 2013, from 27th January to 25th February. Allahabad, also known by the ancient name of Prayag, is the second oldest city in India and is revered as one of the most holy places for the Hindus. The amalgamation of three great rivers of India – Ganga, Yamuna, and the mythological Saraswati, happens here; and the point where these three meet is known as Sangam. Being an important religious, educational, and administrative center of India, Allahabad is well connected to all the major cities of India via Air, Rail, and Road. If you are looking forward to being a part of this grand gathering of millions of living souls, then brief information on how to reach Allahabad for the Maha Kumbh Mela 2013 is given below.

Travelling to Allahabad

By Air
The Allahabad Domestic Airport, also known as Bamrauli Air Force Base, is 12 Km from Allahabad and though it is operational for domestic flights, it serves only a limited number of cities in India. Other two nearest airports from Allahabad are Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport in Varanasi (150 Km) and Amausi International Airport in Lucknow (200 Km). Both these airports are well connected to rest of the major cities of India. Daily flights from major airlines like Air India, Air India Express, GoAir, IndiGo, Jet Airways, Kingfisher Airlines, and Spice Jet are available. Local cabs and Interstate buses can be boarded from near the airports to reach Allahabad.

By Rail
Being the headquarters of the North Central Railway Zone in India, Allahabad has eight railway stations within its city limits, all of which are well connected to many of the major cities of India namely – Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Bhopal, Gwalior, Jaipur etc. Cabs, Auto Rickshaws, and City buses are available near all the railway stations to reach your onward destination.

By Road
As Allahabad is located in the heartland of the great Indian plains, the road density is quite high in these parts and is well connected to rest of the country via National and State Highways. The NH2 runs right through the city while NH27 starts from Allahabad and ends at Mangawan in Madhya Pradesh. NH96 connects to NH28 in Faizabad and brings together two major centers of Hindu Pilgrimage – Allahabad and Ayodhya. The three bus stands of Allahabad cater to different routes of the country through interstate bus services. Local transportation like tourist taxis, cabs, auto rickshaws, and local buses are also available that connects you to various parts of Allahabad and some neighboring cities.

Distance from Major Cities of India

• Agra 433 KM
• Kanpur 200 KM
• Ayodhya 167 KM
• Mumbai 1444 KM
• Lucknow 204 KM
• Kolkata 799 KM
• Chennai 1790 KM
• Patna 368 KM
• Trivandrum 2413 KM
• Delhi 643 KM
• Udaipur 956 KM
• Varanasi 125 KM
• Jaipur 673 KM

Allahabad Photo Gallery

Sangam

For More Photos