Standing guard over the Sangam is the magnificent Allahabad Fort, built by the Mughal Emperor Akbar in 1583. It is the largest fort built by Akbar, designed to control the strategic waterways of the Ganga and Yamuna. The architecture is unique for its three massive galleries of high flanking towers. The outer wall remains intact, rising imposingly from the riverbank.
While much of the fort is currently occupied by the Indian Army and is restricted to the public, a specific section is open to tourists. This area houses the Patalpuri Temple, an underground temple filled with idols of varying antiquity, giving it a catacomb-like atmosphere. It is believed to be one of the oldest shrines in the region, visited by the Chinese traveler Hiuen Tsang in the 7th century.
Inside the fort stands the 'Akshaya Vat' (The Immortal Banyan Tree). Legend says that this tree is indestructible and will survive even the cosmic dissolution (Pralaya) of the world. Historically, pilgrims used to commit suicide by jumping from this tree to attain salvation, a practice Akbar eventually banned. For centuries, the tree was hidden from the public, but it was recently opened for year-round darshan.
Also visible is the Ashoka Pillar, made of polished sandstone from 232 BC, containing edicts of Ashoka as well as later inscriptions by Samudragupta and Jahangir, serving as a stone record of India's imperial history.
The fort is best viewed from a boat on the river, where its massive scale can be fully appreciated against the skyline.
The sacred confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and mythical Saraswati. The distinct colors of the rivers are visible where they meet mid-stream.
The historic ancestral home of the Nehru-Gandhi family. A pilgrimage site for those interested in India's freedom struggle.
Participate in the purifying ritual of bathing at the confluence. Boats take you to the mid-river shallow points for this sacred act.
