Allahabad Fort at Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, India was built by Emperor Akbar in 1583. The fort stands on the banks of the Yamuna near the confluence with the river Ganges. It is the largest fort built by Akbar.
At present it is used by the army and only a limited area is open to visitors. The outer wall is intact and rises above the water’s edge. Inside the fort there is the Zenana, Palace of Mariam-uz-Zamani and the 3rd century BC Ashoka Pillar and Saraswati Koop as well, said to be the source of the Saraswati river. The Patalpuri temple is also here.
Allahabad Fort is the location of the much revered Akshayavat or “immortal tree.” Legends say that if anyone jumps from this centuries-old banyan tree he will attain immortality. Civilians are not allowed to see this tree. It is near the southern wall and is one among many trees that can be seen from outside the southern wall of the fort.
The Triveni Sangam in Allahabad is a confluence of 3 rivers, the Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati. Of these three, the river Saraswati is invisible and is said to flow underground and join the other two rivers from below. Here the muddy and pale-yellow waters of the Ganga merge with the blue waters of Yamuna. At times the Ganga is only 4 feet deep and the Yamuna is 40 feet deep near the point of their nexus. The river Yamuna merges into the Ganga at this point and the Ganga continues on until it meets the sea at the Bay of Bengal. It is believed that all the gods come in human form to take a dip at the Sangam and expiate sins.
The Triveni Sangam is believed to be the same place where drops of Nectar fell from the pitcher, from the hands of the gods. So it is believed that a bath in the Sangam will wash away one’s sins and will clear the way to heaven. Devout Hindus from all over India come to this sacred pilgrimage point to offer prayers and take a dip in the holy waters. The Kumbh Mela is held every 12 years on the banks of Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati at Sangam. The Maha Kumbh Mela is held every 144 years. According to Hindu tradition, the Prakrista Yajna was performed here by Lord Brahma. That is why Allahabad was known as Prayag in ancient times. Allahabad (Prayag) is also called Tirtha- Raja (Prayag Raj), king of all holy places.
Khusro Bagh is a large walled garden, surrounding the tombs of Khusro Mirza (died 1622), eldest son of emperor Jahangir, Shah Begum, Khusro’s mother (died 1604), a Rajput princess and Jahangir’s first wife, and that of Princess Sultana Nithar Begam (died c.1624), Khusro’s sister.
The three sandstone mausoleums within this walled garden, present an exquisite example of Mughal architecture. Khusro’s tomb was completed in 1622, while that of Nithar Begum’s, which lies between Shah Begum’s and Khusro’s tombs was built on her instructions in 1624-25. Nithar’s mausoleum is however empty and it does not contain her tomb within it.
It is the ancestral home of the first Prime-Minister of India and the freedom fighter, Jawaharlal Nehru. The Bhawan has been home to Mrs. Indira Gandhi, who was known as the “Iron Lady of India”. At present, this place has been turned into a fine museum. Several momentous decisions and events related to the freedom struggle also took place inside this Bhawan. The main building houses a museum, which showcases the memorabilia of the Nehru family.
In addition, there is a room which is especially dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Nation. He used to stay in this room during his visits to the city.
The old Anand Bhavan, which was donated in 1930 by Mr. Motilal Nehru, a freedom fighter and father of Jawaharlal Nehru, is renamed by Mr. Motilal Nehru as Swaraj Bhawan. This building served as the headquarters of the Congress Committee. Now, the premise conducts classes to teach arts and crafts to children.
British architect Sir William Emerson, who also designed the Victoria Memorial, Kolkata, designed the cathedral in 1871. It is a remarkable example of the architecture of colonial India. The glass and marble work of the cathedral is perfectly preserved even after more than 125 years. The cathedral also houses many plaques which depict the death of different British nationals for a variety of reasons during their rule in India.
