City Information
Situated in Uttar Pradesh, Allahabad is one of the holiest cities of India. The city extends latitude 25.28° N and 81.54° E and is 238 km from Lucknow, the capital city of Uttar Pradesh.
Until AD 1583, when Akbar changed the name of the city to Allahabad, it was known as Prayag. Allahabad finds mention in the sacred scriptures, including the Vedas, Puranas, the Ramayana, and the Mahabharata. The city is especially sacred for the Hindus, as it is here that the Ganga, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati meet. Because of the confluence of three rivers, it is also called the Sangam. The Kumbh Mela is held here after every twelve years.
Allahabad is the place where the remains of the dead take rest and leave for the ethereal abode, and get rid of their eternal cycle of birth and rebirth. Allahabad is also the land where some of India's most charismatic people have either taken birth or made it their permanent abode. The two former Indian Prime Ministers, Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru and Mrs. Indira Gandhi, one of India's finest poets Harivansh Rai Bachchan and the famous actor Amitabh Bachchan are notable instances in point. Today, Allahabad is one of India's prominent centres for culture, administration, and education.
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