Triveni Sangam, Prayagraj – Legend, Rituals, Timings, Location

Triveni Sangam Prayagraj

The Triveni Sangam is what defines the importance of Prayagraj and, indeed, Prayagraj itself. This is the famed confluence of the three sacred Indian rivers, the Ganga, the Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati. The Yamuna flows south of Prayagraj until it reaches the confluence. The Ganga flows along its eastern edge. The two waters can be seen to merge somewhere out in the horizon. The nature brings together the two mighty, life-giving rivers of India in a gentle embrace and thus comes into existence the Triveni Sangam, the holiest of the holies for the Hindus in India. The waters of the two rivers are of different colours and their meeting point is visible. During Magh Mela and Kumbh Mela , thousands of devotees gather together for holy dip at the Sangam. It is believed that few drops of the nectar, appeared after churning out of the sea, fell at Triveni Sangam. Priests perch on small platforms above the shallow waters at the confluence to perform puja and assist the devout in their ritual ablutions. Most of the ghats are located further east, along the Yamuna River.

Tonsuring, one of the ‘sanskars’ in Hindu Darma, is known as ‘Chudakaran’ and performed in the first or third year of a child. It is carried out primarily either on the banks of a river or sacred pond or a temple. Many devotees come to Sangam to conduct Chudakarn sanskar of their children. The practice then extends to all statges of life. For many Hindu faithful, getting tonsured at Sangam is symbol of their religious devotion and humility. It also is indicative of a devotee’s detachment from the attractions of the physical world around him / her. As per Hindu ‘sanskar’ and last religious rites, after cremation, bones and ashes are immersed into some sacred river, if possible in the Triveni Sangam at Prayagraj (Allahabad) or at Haridwar or Varanasi into the Ganga. Ashes of many important national leaders have been immersed in the Sangam in Prayagraj. In 1948, ashes of Mahatma Gandhi were also immersed here. It is believed that taking a dip in Triveni Sangam absolves one of his / her sins and if the ashes of a deceased are immersed here, it imparts ‘moksha’ (salvation).