Names & Legend
Prayag is famous as the meeting point of sacred rivers, but it is also one of the Shakti Peethas. It is honoured as Tirtharaj, “the king of all pilgrimages”, and its modern name, Prayagraj, reflects this glory.
When Lord Vishnu divided Sati’s body with his Sudarshan Chakra as Lord Shiva carried it in grief, Sati’s fingers are believed to have fallen at Prayag. Some traditions say that all ten fingers fell here, and the Goddess is therefore worshipped as Lalita, the graceful one.
Location
Prayagraj (formerly Allahabad) is in Uttar Pradesh. At the Triveni Sangam, the Ganga, the Yamuna and the invisible Saraswati meet, and it is from this confluence – prayag – that the city and the Shakti Peeth take their names.
The Goddess & Bhairava
The Goddess is worshipped as Lalita, and Lord Shiva as Bhairava is called Bhava, “existence itself”. Three temples in the city are honoured by different traditions as the Shakti Peeth:
- Alopi Devi temple (Alopibagh), near the Sangam, where there is no idol: devotees worship a wooden doli (cradle) covered with red cloth, as it is believed that the Goddess “disappeared” (alop) here. The Goddess is therefore also called Alopi.
- Lalita Devi temple in Meerapur, where the Goddess is worshipped as Lalita.
- Kalyani Devi temple, an ancient shrine of the Goddess in the old city.
The Sangam & the Kumbh Mela
A bath at the Triveni Sangam is believed to wash away the sins of many lifetimes. Every year in January–February, the Magh Mela is held on the sands of the Sangam, and every twelve years the Maha Kumbh Mela – the largest gathering of human beings on earth – draws crores of pilgrims. Other sacred sites include the immortal banyan tree Akshayavat inside the fort and the Bade Hanuman temple, where Hanuman is worshipped lying down.
Festivals, Travel & When to Visit
Navaratri is the main festival at all three temples of the Goddess, along with the bathing days of Makar Sankranti, Mauni Amavasya and Basant Panchami during Magh Mela. Prayagraj Junction is a major railway station, and the city has an airport at Bamrauli. The best time to visit is from October to March, especially during the Magh Mela.