Triveni Sangam Prayagraj
Tirth Raj Prayag — confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and mythical Saraswati, and venue of the largest religious gathering on Earth.
About this yatra
Prayagraj (formerly Allahabad) is called Tirth Raj — the King of Pilgrimage Sites — for the sangam (confluence) of three sacred rivers: the Ganga flowing in from Haridwar, the Yamuna arriving from Yamunotri via Delhi-Agra, and the mythical underground Saraswati believed to surface here invisibly. A snan (bath) at the sangam is held to wash away sins of seven lifetimes. Prayagraj hosts the Maha Kumbh Mela every 12 years (last in 2025, with an estimated 660 million attendees — the largest peaceful religious gathering in human history), the Ardh Kumbh every 6 years, and the Magh Mela every year during the month of Magh (Jan-Feb), when millions take the Kalpwas vow of month-long sangam-side austerity. Beyond the sangam, Prayagraj holds Akshayavat (the immortal banyan tree mentioned in the Puranas, inside Patalpuri Temple below Allahabad Fort), Hanuman Mandir at Sangam (the unique reclining Bada Hanuman statue), Bharadwaj Ashram (where Rama, Sita, and Lakshman stayed on their way to Chitrakoot), Shankar Viman Mandapam, and Anand Bhavan (Nehru family home, now a museum). The Prayagraj Junction railway station and the new Maha Kumbh Mela tent city infrastructure can host millions during festival peaks.
Best time to visit
November to February. Magh Mela (mid-January to mid-February) every year for the full Kalpwas experience. Mauni Amavasya, Basant Panchami, and Maghi Purnima are the most auspicious snan dates. Next Ardh Kumbh in 2031, Maha Kumbh in 2037.
How to reach
Fly to Prayagraj (IXD, daily flights from Delhi and Mumbai) or Varanasi (VNS, 125 km). Direct trains to Prayagraj Junction (PRYJ) on the Delhi-Howrah and Mumbai-Howrah trunk routes. The new Ganga Expressway and Purvanchal Expressway connect Lucknow and Delhi by road.
What to expect
Pre-dawn boat ride to the sangam point for snan, Akshayavat darshan at Allahabad Fort (limited timings), Bada Hanuman aarti, optional 1-day Chitrakoot or Vindhyachal Shaktipeeth extension. During Kumbh Mela seasons: sector-wise tent city accommodation must be booked through UP Tourism 6 months ahead.