Beautifully Located at confluence of the Ganga , Yamuna and the Saraswati river,the city of Allahabad forms a part of the North Indian state of Uttar Pradesh and is one of the largest cities of the Indian subcontinent. It is also known as the `City of Allah` because the Mughal monarch Akbar had founded the city by the name of `Illahabas` in 1853, which in the later periods came to be known as Allahabad. It was Akbar who realized the strategic importance of Allahabad being a landmark in North India, and hence built a magnificent fort on the banks of the holy `sangam`. The meeting point of the three rivers, Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati is known as Tribeni and is regarded as a very sacred place for the Hindu community. The history of the city of Allahabad can be traced back to ancient times and its sanctity is manifested by reference of it in the Puranas and the two great Indian epics Ramayana and Mahabharata. In medieval India the city of Allahabad enjoyed the status of being the religio-cultural center of the country. The people also indulge themselves in the vibrant festive celebrations during the long procession of festivals held here. The major festivals celebrated here are Kumbh Mela, Ardh Kumbh Mela, Yoga Festival and Dussehra.

Allahabad is one of the holy cities of Hindus. The ancient name of the city was Prayag, which in Sanskrit meant `place of sacrifice`. The place occupies an important position in the Hindu mythology as it is situated at the confluence of the holy rivers of Ganga and Yamuna. A holy fair called Kumbh marks the place.

Allahabad is synonymous with Sangam. The word Sangam in Hindi means `confluence`. It is named so, because it is located on the confluence of Ganges, Yamuna and Saraswati. The city of Allahabad is the place where the remains of the dead take rest and leave for their ethereal abode.

As solar events in Allahabad occur exactly 5 hours and 30 minutes ahead of Greenwich, the city is the reference point for Indian Standard Time, maintained by the city`s observatory.

History of Allahabad
The holy city, Allahabad is mentioned in the Vedas, the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, and in the Puranas. In the holy scriptures the city is mentioned as Prayag. The place was considered to be the spot where Brahma offered his first sacrifice after creating the world. It is said that Lord Bhrama reffered to the place as `Tirtharaj` or the `king of all pilgrimage centers.`

The name Prayag is still commonly used. The Puranas record that Yayati(a Puranic king and the son of king Nahusha) left Prayag and conquered the region of Saptha Sindhu.

In the times of the Ramayana, Prayag was made up of a few rishis huts at the confluence of the sacred rivers. Prayag was controlled by several empires and dynasties. Objects unearthed in Prayag indicate that it was part of the Kushana empire in the 1st century AD. When Prayag came under the Muslim rule, it became part of the Delhi Sultanate. The Mughals took over the country from the rulers of Delhi and under them Prayag rose to prominence once again.

During the 5th and 7th centuries Huen Tsang and Fa Hien visited Allahabad. In 1575, Akbar named Allahabad as `Illahabas.` On realizing the strategic importance of Allahabad, he built a magnificent fort on the banks of the holy Sangam. It was from Allahabad that Emperor Jehangir, revolted against his father, Akbar. In 1602, Prince Salim held a parallel court in Akbar`s fort. Before the city fell under the clutches of colonial rule, the city was rocked by Maratha incursions.

In 1765 the royal armies of the Nawab of Awadh and the Mughal emperor Shah Alam lost the war of Buxar to the British. The British established a garrison at the Prayag fort - realising its strategic position as the gateway to the north west. Governor General Warren Hastings later took Allahabad from Shah Alam and gave it to Awadh alleging that he had placed himself in the power of the Marathas.

In 1801, The city was ceeded to the British East India Company. They also succeded the other parts of Doaba and adjoining region in its west . The north western areas were made into a new Presidency called the "North Western Provinces of Agra". Allahabad remained an important part of this state.

In 1834, Allahabad became the seat of the Government of the Agra Province and a High Court was established. But a year later both was transffered to Agra. In 1857, after the Indian Mutingy, the British merged Delhi with Punjab and transferred the capital of North west Provinces to Allahabad. In 1877, the two provinces of Agra and Awadh merged to form a new state which was called the United Provinces. Allahabad remained the capital of the State till the 1920s.

Allahabad played itself host to the royalty of illustrious Emperors like Harsha, Akbar, Dara Shikoh, Khusro, and Queen Victoria. Allahabad played an important role during the days of the Indian independence struggle. Today Allahabad is a city where history, culture, and religion blend harmoniously.

Sacred to the Hindu pilgrims, it is the site of the Pillar of Ashoka ereated in 240 B.C . Under the muslim rule from 1194-1801, it was them ceded to the British. the Mughal Akbar built a fort there in the late 16th entury. It was that scene of a seriuos outbreak in the 1857 Indian Mutiny, or Uprising. as the home of the Nehru family, it was later a centre of the Indian independence movement.

Geography of Allahabad
Allahabad is a city in the North Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is located at a distance of 238 km from the state capital Lucknow. The city is situated at the confluence of the Ganga and Yamuna rivers. The Ganga flows along its eastern edge. The city is divided by the railway line running through it. South of the railway track is the old Chowk area, while the British-built Civil Lines is situated to the north, with all its streets laid out in a grid. The total area of the Allahabad is 63.07 sq km. It is located 98m above sea level.

Allahabad experiences an extreme climate. The annual range of temperature differs by around 12°C. The temperature varies from a maximum of 45.6°C to a minimum of 1.1°C. The weather is finest in the month of January and February. Annual rainfall is 1935.5 mm and the maximum being 914.7 mm (August) and minimum 68.3 mm (December). The monsoon season is in June.

Demography of Allahabad
As per the 2001 census , the population of Allahabad is 9, 90,298.

Culture of Allahabad
The main festival celebrated in North India is the Kumbh Mela. This festival is celebrated once in three years by rotation, on the banks of holy rivers as the Godavari in Nasik, the Shipra in Ujjain, the Ganga in Haridwar and the Sangam in Allahabad. The Purna Kumbh, which is the biggest and the most auspicious fair, which falls once every twelve years, is always at Allahabad.

When the festival of the Kumbh at Allahabad falls on a Monday, it is called the Somvati Amavasya. The Purna Kumbh is followed by the Ardh Kumbh, which comes every six years when millions of pilgrims congregate at Allahabad on the banks of the holy river. Others festivals celebrated in Allahabad is Magh Mela, which is celebrated in the month of February.

The main languages spoken by the people of Allahabad are Hindi, Urdu, and English

Transportation of Allahabad
The city is well connected by means of air, rail and road.
By Air- the nearest airports of Allahabad are at Varanasi, which is 147 km away.
By Rail- as Allahabad is situated on the Delhi-Kolkata route, it can be reached from any part of India by rail or bus. It is connected with Delhi and Kolkata by trains like Rajdhani, Magadh, and Shramjeevi.
By Road- Allahabad has a good road network.

Places of interest in Allahabad
This city boasts of some of the most visited tourist spots in India. Being a city with a rich and glorious culture, Allahabad offers many popular sightseeing options for the tourists to make the trip to Allahabad a long and memorable one. The Sangam, Allahabad Fort, Anand Bhawan, Patalpuri Temple and Akshaya Vat, Khusrau Bagh, Swaraj Bhawan, Allahabad Museum, Hanuman Mandir, Upardaha Lake, Ashoka Pillar, Mankameshwar Temple, Jawahar Planeterium, All Saints Cathedral and Khusru Bagh. In order to make your stay memorable in Allahabad, the city also offers the right accommodation for you, your family and friends. The various hotels of the city offer you the best of facilities and offers excellent view of the landmarks through their suites. With the rapid opening of shopping malls and multiplexes the city of Allahabad has become a shoppers paradise. Being a religious town it is the best place to buy religious paraphernalia. The city has a host of shops offering items used for various rituals like sandalwood, incense sticks, camphor and vermilion among others. The city also has a number of bookshops offering books on various subjects ranging from education to religious, mythological to technology. The main market areas in Allahabad are Civil Lines, Katra and Chowk. The sumptuous delicacies of Allahabad includes `motichoor laddoo`, `besan laddoo`, `burfi`, `rabri`, `kulfi`, `kachauris`, variety of dosas.

The city of Allahabad is connected to all the major metros of the country and is easily accessible through air, road and rail. The city does not have an airport of its own. The nearest airports are at Varanasi and Lucknow, which are 147 kilometers and 210 kilometers respectively. This city also connected with Delhi and Kolkata by some of the fastest trains in India. It also has a good road network and offers you all types of land transports for a comfortable journey. To get around and see the whole of Allahabad it is best to take a cycle rickshaw, as it is the cheapest, best and the most widely available means of transport available here. Taking a boat ride in the Yamuna River can also make your trip to Allahabad stay forever in the your memory albums. The important places of interest in Allahabad are: