www.HolidayKeys.co.uk

“Allahabad” is a city in “Uttar Pradesh”. Its original name is – “Prayag”. According to

Hindu mythology, Lord Brahma performed first yagya after creating the universe.

This place is one of the largest four Hindu summits; the other three are in Haridwar,

Ujjain, and Nasik. Prayag comes from its position at the “Sangam” of the divine

rivers the Yamuna, Ganga and Sarasvati. Sangam is called “Triveni Sangam”

because of the joining of the three rivers at one place, in every twelve years the city

hosts a “Kumbh Mela” which is held on Joining of the three rivers. This occasion is

full of joy and devotees come across the country, and perform their rituals.

It is the second oldest city which plays a central

role in Hindu scriptures. It is depicted in the

Hindu Vedas Ramayana and Mahabharata, that

it played a central role. Besides Hindu scriptures

the city has also an important role in history, its

present name is given by the Mughal Emperor

Akbar as “Llahabad” later it was changed to

Allahabad by the British.

It has also played an important role in the

struggle for Indian independence. The city is also

known as the “city of Prime Ministers” because

seven out of fifteen prime ministers of India since

independence have connections to

Allahabad, they were either born in the city or

were alumni of Allahabad University or were

elected from an Allahabad constituency. It

connects you with the history of freedom fighters,

and the great stories of Indian politics and

freedom fighters.

Before moving some other historical places

and monuments, let’s start your trip with the

“Sangam”, the “Triveni Sangam” is the place

where drops of the nectar fells from the

pitcher from the hands of the gods. It is

believed by the people that they bathe into

the water, then their sole will be free from the

cycle of life and rebirth, and it vanishes their

all sins.

Therefore, when Sarasvati conjoins the Ganga and Yamuna, it forms Kumbh Mela

in every twelve years, the devotees comes in a huge crowd and perform their

rituals and prayers. That’s why it is known as “Teerth Raj”.

There is a fort which stands on the banks of the Yamuna near its confluence with

the Ganga River. The fort was built by the Mughal Emperor Akbar in 1583. In

“Akabarnama” Abu’l-Fazl, wrote:

For a long time Akbar’s desire was to find a great city in the town of Prayag, where

the rivers Ganga and Jamuna join, and which is regarded by the people of India

with much reverence, and which is a place of pilgrimage for the ascetics of that

country, and to build a choice fort there.

Akbar named the fort as “Illahabas” which means blessed by god, it later became

Allahabad, and therefore, it is known as “Allahabad Fort”. It has a huge area and

three galleries flanked by high towers. In 1798, the fort was captured by the East

India Company. At present it is used by the army and only limited are is open for

visitors. It is built in such a way that it enclosed an Akshayatvat tree (banyan tree),

which has a story that people were jumping from the tree to attain immortality. That’s

why the civilians are not allowed to view the tree; it is near the south wall and can be

seen from outside the southern wall of the fort. It is also a story of Hindu scriptures

that Lord Ram, Sita and Lakhman stayed here before reach to Chitrakoot under this

tree. There is the Zenana, Palace of Mariam-uz-Zamani and the 3rd century BCE

Ashoka pillar houses inside the fort. The Saraswati Koop, said to be the source of the

Saraswati River, and the Patalpuri temple is also here. There is a railway track comes

from the Allahabad Railway Station, which was built by the East India Company for

use during the war.

From the Allahabad Fort next destination is “Khusro Bagh” which is approximately

two miles away from here, is a large walled garden and burial complex, situated on

forty acres and it is shaped as a quadrangle. It includes the tomb of Shah Begum

Jahangir’s Rajput wife, Khusro Mirza Jahangir’s son and Nithar Begum Khusro’s

sister and Jahangir’s and Shah Begum’s daughter.

http://www.holidaykeys.co.uk/

There is a large garden around the mausoleums, and these are distinctly designed

and carved. There is different Persian calligraphy. The all three tombs are

amazingly designed, Nithar’s tomb was built on her instruction, and it is empty and

doesn’t contain her tomb within it.

Besides the artistic design of this monument there is one more importance of this

place, during the Revolt of 1857, Khusrau Bagh became the headquarters of the

sepoys under Maulvi Liaquat Ali who took charge as the Governor of liberated

Allahabad. There is another destination which has a contribution in the struggle of

independence, “Alfred Park”, it is the biggest park in the city with the area of 133

acres, it was to mark Prince Alfred’s visit in the city in 1870. It was renamed after

“Chandra Shekhar Azad”, who sacrificed his life during the Indian Independence

Struggle in 1931. There is a “Chandra Shekhar Azad Memorial” where he sacrificed

his life. A “Victoria Memorial” is also there which a large canopy is made of Italian

limestone, dedicated to Queen Victoria. It was opened on 24th of March 1906 by

Sir James Latouche. The canopy once sheltered a huge statue of Queen Victoria

which was later removed.

The “Anand Bhawan” literally meaning is ‘abode of bliss’ is a large mansion located

in the city. It is an ancestral house of the first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and

former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, she born in this house.

It was owned by the political leader Motilal Nehru in the 19th century. Later, this

house served as a headquarter of ‘All India Congress Committee, in the 1920, it was

the home of all activities of Indian Freedom Struggle in India, it’s turned its name to

“Swaraj Bhawan”. Later, when Indira Gandhi was a Prime Minister, she donated this

house to the nation in 1970, turned it to a museum, now it is one of the biggest

museums in the country, housing the books and memorabilia of her father and

grandfather.

Just behind the Anand Bhawan, there is a “Jawahar Planetarium”, which is a

museum, managed by ‘Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund’ established in 1964, every

year the prestigious, ‘Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Lecture’ is also held in the

planetarium, organised under the auspices of ‘Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund’ on

the birth anniversary of India’s First Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, November 14.

“Allahabad Museum” is a national level museum in the city, established in 1931,

located in Kasturba Gandhi Marg, with Alfred Park, it has a rich unique art

collection. It has a collection of art, ancient sculptures from Mathura, Bhumra,

Jamsot, Terracottas of Kausambi; Rajasthani Miniatures;

http://www.holidaykeys.co.uk/

Paintings of Nicholas Roerich and those of the Bengal School of Art, the

autobiography of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru; manuscripts of well-known Hindi authors,

.32 bore Colt pistol of Chandra Shekhar Azad and the ‘Gandhi Smrithi Vahan’ are

some unique items among the collection in the museum.

These all monuments are so beautiful, and have memories of rich history, and

freedom struggle. You will feel proud to visit these places and you will be full of

memories while returning from here. These are the glimpses of Allahabad, which

you will never forget.