Allahabad, the city of Sangam where three different rivers named as Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati meet. You must have heard about the  Kumbh Mela which takes place in Allahabad and people from different states of our Motherland and even from other countries as well come together to spend some days at this holy place. This city has got number of places to visit as it is a city where Lord Rama stayed, Mughals built wonderful structures, our first Prime Minister took birth and also Britishers left with their marks, the hometown of Amitabh Bacchan and at last where our brave freedom fighter Chandra Shekhar Azad shot himself and died. By now you must have got an idea of how much this city is rich with history, mythology, culture, and religion. This place has got everything that any traveler could ask for.

Lets explore some places to see in Allahabad

KHUSRO BAGH

Khusro Bagh is named after Khusrau who was the son of Jahangir.  In 1604 the first tomb which built was of Shah Begum, wife of Jahangir and daughter of Raja Bhagwant Das of Amber. She died by committing suicide by having poison as she was in grief due to the conflict between her husband Jahangir and son Khusrau, who rebelled against his father and got into prisons in 1606.  In 1622 he was killed by his very own brother Shah Jahan and his tomb was built next to his mother Shah Begum’s tomb.

The biggest tomb among the three is of Nithar with exquisite design and poured with proper chic architecture. It is placed over a platform with a few rooms inside filled with Persian art on the walls and ceiling. The patterns are of Persian flowers, plants, scallops whereas the Shah Begum’s three-story tomb was designed by Aqa Reza with the calligraphy done on it by Jahangir’s greatest calligrapher Mir Abdullah Mushkin Qalam.

The whole place is surrounded by thick large walls. It is listed as an Indian Site of National Importance.  It is located in Khuldabad near Prayag Junction Railway.

CHANDRA SHEKHAR AZAD MEMORIAL

Chandra Shekhar Memorial is situated in Alfred Park. The memorial is named after our country’s brave freedom fighter Chandra Shekhar Azad. When India was fighting for its independence in 1931 , our brave freedom fighter  with his partners was running away from the British cops and hid at this place and after attacking the cops when he was left with only one bullet in his pistol , he shot himself as he was not ready to get killed by Britishers cartridge.

Today there’s a statue of him with a very green atmosphere around.

ALLAHABAD MUSEUM

In 1931 this museum was established. It is also a premier Research center for archaeologists and historians. A lot of research is done here on art, architecture, culture. It is funded by the Ministry of Culture. It is the first museum in India that is self-reliant in power generation. This museum is perfect for people who are interested in history as it has got more than 25,000 books including many rare collections of ancient Roman and Greek Scholars. There are a total of 10 Roerich Halls in the whole world and one of them is here with 19 exclusive canvases of Nicholas Roerich, the famous Russian painter. Its Rock Gallery has got the largest collection of prehistoric paintings.

It has a picture gallery of Mahatma Gandhi and in the gallery of  Jawahar Lal Nehru there’s a collection which includes documents, gifts, wedding cards and letters, some were from Gandhi himself. It has also got original manuscripts called ” In and out of Prison” which was later published as his autobiography ” The Discovery of India”. The pistol by which Chandra Shekhar Azad shot himself Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammerless semi-auto .32 bore is also preserved there.

ANAND BHAWAN

It is a place where the Nehru family lived and our first Prime Minister opened his eyes for the first time which is now the museum of the Nehru family.  It is now renovated but the house setting is still the same as to make it easy for the people to know how their former Prime Minister used to live. The premises also include Swaraj Bhawan which was Indian National Congress Headquarter but now turned into a Girls Orphanage.

PLANETARIUM

It was built beside Anand Bhawan in 1979 which is managed by Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund. In a day there is a total of 5 shows held in which you’ll be able to see different types of constellations, things related to astronomy and our whole universe in a circular darkroom. In the show, you’ll find yourself in between the stars and space. You can even measure your weight on the Moon and Jupiter. You must not miss this opportunity for sure.

ALL SAINTS CATHEDRAL

It is an Anglican Church founded by William Muir, Elizabeth Huntly, and Wemyss on 1 April 1871. It is made with cream-colored stones with fine red sandstones dressing, tiles and marbles. It is a huge structure decorated with glass paint inside and a lovely garden with a bell outside. This Church possesses a circular area which makes it more adorable. This Church was made under the British rule with the style of Gothic Revival Architecture.

SHRI MANKAMESHWAR TEMPLE

This temple is placed at the bank of river Ganga in the area called Saraswati Ghat. This Mandir has got a Shivling which is worshipped by people with a lot of beliefs. As it is just next to the pious river you can feel the vibe of spirituality in yourself.

FUN GAON WATER PARK

 This waterpark is situated on Kaushambi Road. It is a bit far from the main city but visiting this place is totally worthwhile as it is full of different kinds of water slides of separate height both for adults and children. Along with multiple pools, it also has a special area called Rain dance. It has a wave pool too for the people who love thrills. We suggest you visit there in the morning and enjoy till the sun goes down because once you’ll go there you would not like to come back.

ADI SHANKAR VIMAN MANDAP

It is a four storey ,130 ft high temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, made in the memory of Adi Shankaracharya, in South Indian Vimana style. It has the idols of  Kamakshi Devi with 51 Shakti peethas all around, Tirupati Balaji with 108 Vishnus around, and Yogsahastra Sahastrayoga Linga surrounded by 108 Shiva Lingas. It seems like God himself stays in this temple as it has so many colorful sculptures on it from top to bottom. It gives you a proper South Indian feel and will make you feel majestic.

AKBAR FORT

  It is a Fort built-in 1583 by Akbar after several trials. This fort is on the bank of river Yamuna. It is said that Akbar purposefully made this fort in a way to cover the Akshayavat. This was the place where Akbar used to live and collect tax as Prayag is a Pilgrimage place for people but after a while, he abolished the rule of taking tax. It is a massive fort with heavy architecture. It is recognized as a  monument of national importance by the Archeological Survey of India. You must not forget to visit this place once you step in Allahabad.

TRIVENI SANGAM

It is the point where all three rivers come together. Millions of people from around the world come here especially in Kumbh Mela of Sangam. You’ll find many Sadhus from different Akhadas. This place is surrounded by a number of temples. We would recommend you to visit here in the dawn or just before the dusk. If you’re looking for some peaceful place you should definitely visit and must not forget to take a dip in this holy river.

AKSHAYAVAT

Akshayavat is a tree in Patalpuri temple beneath which Lord Ram along with Sita and Lakshman took rest. It is said that it is the Banyan tree which is mentioned in Ramayana. There are many more mythological stories about Akshayavat. When Akbar was the ruler, he instructed to build a Fort around it because people used to commit suicide by hanging themselves to get salvation. On one day in every Kumbh Mela, the fort is made accessible for the people.

BHARADWAJ TEMPLE AND PARK

It is a temple situated in the Bharadwaj campus in  Colonelganj where Lord Shree Ram came to meet sage Bharadwaj while he was on his way to Chitrakoot along with Mata Sita and Lakshman. It is a temple with medieval idols of God like Maa Durga, Ganesh, Atri, Anusuiya, Eklavya, Annapurna Mata, August, Bhrigu, Vashihstha, Dhan Kuber, and several others. Along with that, there’s a park next to it with a huge statue of Sage Bharadwaj. This place is surrounded with amazing 3D walls. Free Open gymnasium is also available there for the fitness freaks.

ALOPI DEVI MANDIR

Alopi means to disappear. It is said that when Lord Shankar was traveling all around the different Loks along with the dead body of Sati in his arms. Vishnu threw his chakra at the corpse of Sati and her body parts fell on the ground. One of her body parts fell here and disappeared. In this temple, there’s no idol but a doli which is worshipped by everyone.

ARAIL GHAT

This is one of the favorite spots for the young generation as the road which goes towards the ghat is covered with trees. On the right side, you’ll see farms and on the left side, you can see a wide river flowing along with you on your way to the ghat. There are two ghats first one is the old ghat and the other one is new. There’s not much rush on the normal days but on the festival days, you’ll find a lot of crowds. This place is highly recommended to you if you just want to spend some time in peace.

BHITA

It is a place 18km away from the main city where the Yamuna river flows and in between the river, there’s a temple of Lord Shiva. The temple is situated in between the river on the rocks. It looks like a tiny island.

TIRTHANKAR RISHABHDEV TEMPLE

It is a Jain temple in which Rishabhdev attained knowledge. It is a small hill with 127 steps. And below it there’s a cave which is turned into a  temple. The architecture inside the cave is very fine and mesmerizing which will surely make your jaw drop.

BADE HANUMAN JI TEMPLE

It is a temple near Sangam where a 20ft idol of Hanuman Ji is there which is not in his usual posture. The idol is lying on the floor because of which it is also called “lete hue Hanuman ji”. This is the only temple in the world in which you will find his idol in such a position. It is believed that every year at least for once the river Ganga gets flooded enough to reach the temple and get the blessings from the Lord.

THORNHILL MAYNE MEMORIAL

It is the biggest library of Uttar Pradesh established in Alfred Park by Richard Roskell Bayne in Scottish Baronial Revival architecture style 1869. It was the house of the legislative assembly in British rule when Allahabad was the Capital of their provinces. It has more than 1 lakh books, magazines, and 28 different newspapers in Hindi, English, Urdu, and Bangla and preserves 21 Arabic manuscripts. It also has a collection of old government publications, parliamentary papers, and blue books of the 19th century, old manuscripts, and journals. A perfect catch for a bookworm.

ALFRED PARK

In 1870 old cantonments were transformed into this park which is around 133 acres. It is the biggest park in Allahabad which is named after Prince Alfred. This park is full of many heritage sites like Victoria Memorial, Prayag Sangeet Samiti, Madan Mohan Malviya Stadium, Thornhill Mayne Memorial, and Allahabad Museum.

SUMITRANANDAN PANT PARK

It is a park named after a famous poet Sumitranandan Pant who died in Allahabad.  This park is famous by the name ‘Hathi Park’ because of its slide there which is in the shape of an elephant. There are many more small slides for kids. There is a small zoo of birds and small animals like rabbits. There is a pond inside which makes this park look more attractive.

SARASWATI GHAT

It is a ghat at the bank of the river, it is a picnic spot for people near Akbar Fort. There’s a boating club in this ghat for the people who love boating. It also includes Mankameshwar Temple which is dedicated to Lord Shiva.

Altogether, Allahabad is a city you must visit at least once in your lifetime. It is a place with a huge combination of culture and history. No matter what religion or culture you belong to, you would love this place and take back some great memories.