Prayagraj
The Sangam, the Magh Mela and the home of the Kumbh
Prayagraj lies at the meeting of the Ganges and the Yamuna, joined in belief by a third, invisible river, the Saraswati. The point where they meet, the Triveni Sangam, has drawn pilgrims for at least two thousand years. The sandy flood plain around it, empty for much of the year, becomes a temporary city of tents each winter for the Magh Mela, and every twelve years for the Kumbh Mela, the largest gathering of people on earth.
The city itself was renamed from Allahabad in 2018. Akbar built a great fort here in 1583, overlooking the confluence. In the colonial period it became a centre of law, education and politics, and Anand Bhavan, the Nehru family home, is now a museum of India's independence movement. Khusro Bagh, a walled Mughal garden, holds the tombs of Jahangir's son and family.
Prayagraj has no luxury hotels, and for most of the year we visit on a long day trip from Varanasi, with a private boat to the Sangam at its centre. During the Magh Mela, and above all at a Kumbh, licensed operators set up tented camps on the mela ground, some with private bathrooms and heating, which give the best access to the dawn bathing. Standards vary each year, so we inspect before we book.
Highlights
What Prayagraj does best
Boats leave from the ghats below Akbar's fort and row out to the confluence, where the greenish Yamuna meets the paler Ganges. Pilgrims step from the boats onto wooden platforms to bathe. The ride takes about an hour there and back.
Every January and February, a tent city rises on the flood plain for about six weeks. Pilgrims called kalpvasis live in simple camps for a month, and huge crowds bathe on the main days such as Mauni Amavasya. Dates follow the lunar calendar; check current status before you travel.
Prayagraj hosts the full Kumbh every twelve years and an Ardh Kumbh at the six-year mark. The last Maha Kumbh was held in January and February 2025, and the next Ardh Kumbh is expected around 2031; check current status before you travel.
The Nehru family home, a large colonial house where Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi grew up, is now a museum of the independence movement. Its rooms, letters and photographs tell the story of a family at the centre of modern India's politics.
A walled Mughal garden with three sandstone tombs from the early 17th century, for Prince Khusrau, his mother Shah Begum and his sister. It is quiet, shaded and rarely visited, with fine painted ceilings in the tombs.
Experiences
Four hours to plan around
Getting there
How to reach Prayagraj
Prayagraj airport (IXD), at Bamrauli about 15 km from the centre, has direct flights from Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and some other cities. Flights increase in Magh Mela and Kumbh years; check current status before you travel.
Prayagraj Junction is on the main Delhi to Kolkata line. The Vande Bharat from Delhi to Varanasi stops here, about 6 hours from Delhi, and Varanasi is about 2 hours by train.
From Varanasi, the drive is about 120 km and 2.5 to 3 hours. From Lucknow it is about 200 km and 4 hours. During the Mela, roads to the ghats close and the last stretch is on foot or by shuttle.
Where to stay
Rooms we book
Prayagraj has comfortable business hotels in Civil Lines but no luxury property, so for most of the year we visit from Varanasi on a day trip. During the Magh Mela and especially in Kumbh years, licensed operators run deluxe tented camps on the mela ground near the Sangam, with private bathrooms, heating and meals, giving access to dawn bathing without road closures. Names and standards change from year to year, so we inspect and book only those we have seen; check current status before you travel.
From our planners
Five things to know
- On the main bathing days of the Magh Mela, vehicles are stopped kilometres from the Sangam, so plan to walk or avoid those days.
- Agree boat prices to the Sangam through your guide, as rates vary widely and rise during the Mela.
- Anand Bhavan is usually closed on Mondays; check current status before you travel.
- Mela camps on the flood plain are very cold at night in January; pack thermal layers.
- Carry a change of clothes and a towel if you plan to bathe at the Sangam.
Questions travellers ask
Questions about Prayagraj
Is Prayagraj worth visiting outside the Kumbh Mela?
Yes, as a day trip from Varanasi. The boat to the Sangam is moving at any time of year, and Anand Bhavan and Khusro Bagh add history. From January to February the annual Magh Mela makes it especially rewarding. Most travellers do not need to stay overnight outside Mela season.
When is the next Kumbh Mela at Prayagraj?
The last full Kumbh, called the Maha Kumbh, was held at Prayagraj from January to February 2025. Prayagraj holds a Kumbh every twelve years and an Ardh Kumbh at the six-year point, so the next Ardh Kumbh is expected around 2031 and the next full Kumbh around 2037. Check current status before you travel.
How far is Prayagraj from Varanasi?
About 120 km by road, 2.5 to 3 hours each way. Trains take about 2 hours. A day trip leaving Varanasi at 5:30 am reaches the Sangam around sunrise in winter and returns in the late afternoon, in time for the evening aarti at Dashashwamedh.
Where can I stay in luxury at the Magh Mela or Kumbh?
During the Mela, licensed operators set up deluxe tented camps on the flood plain near the Sangam, with private bathrooms, heating and meals. Standards and operators change each year. We inspect camps before booking. Outside the Mela, Prayagraj has only business hotels, so we stay in Varanasi.
What are the main bathing days at the Magh Mela?
The main bathing days usually include Paush Purnima, Makar Sankranti, Mauni Amavasya, Basant Panchami, Maghi Purnima and Maha Shivratri. Mauni Amavasya draws the largest crowd. Dates follow the lunar calendar and are announced each year by the Uttar Pradesh government; check current status before you travel.
Why was Allahabad renamed Prayagraj?
The Uttar Pradesh government renamed Allahabad as Prayagraj in 2018, reviving the ancient name Prayag, meaning a place of sacrifice or confluence. Many institutions, such as the University of Allahabad and the Allahabad High Court, still use the older name. Both names are widely understood.
Can I visit Allahabad Fort?
Most of Allahabad Fort, built by Akbar in 1583, is used by the Indian Army and closed to visitors. The Patalpuri temple and the Akshayavat, a sacred banyan tree, are reached through a gate in the fort and open to pilgrims at set times. Check current status before you travel, as access changes.
How cold is Prayagraj in January?
Days are mild at around 20 to 23 °C, but nights fall to 5 to 8 °C, and on the open flood plain at the Mela it feels colder, with dense fog some mornings. Pack thermal layers, a warm hat and gloves for dawn boat rides and nights in a tented camp.
Is the Sangam boat ride suitable for older travellers?
Generally yes, with help getting in and out of the boat from the ghat, which can be muddy or uneven. Boats are simple wooden rowing boats with life jackets on request. Our guide and boatman assist with boarding. On the busiest Mela days, the walk to the ghats is long, so we choose quieter days.
Journeys
Routes that stop in Prayagraj
Nearby
Pair it with
Dawn boats, evening aarti and the oldest lanes on the Ganges
Nawabi architecture, Awadhi kebabs and chikankari
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