Panch Prayag
Five revered sites in Uttarakhand where five rivers merge into River Alaknanda to ultimately form the holy River Ganges (Ganga) is called Panch Prayag (in Hindi, ‘panch’ means five and ‘prayag’ means confluence). One of the most sacred Indian rivers, Ganges is worshipped as the life-giving goddess and its waters are used in religious rituals. These five places, in descending order of river convergence, are Vishnuprayag, Nandaprayag, Karnaprayag, Rudraprayag and Devprayag. Devotees from across the country visit the sites as it is believed that taking a dip in the water in these five spots cleanses the soul and advances them a step closer to moksha.
According to Hindu mythology, when Goddess Ganga began her descent to Earth, her force was formidable. To temper her force, she was said to have been split into 12 channels that flow to reunite completely after Devprayag (where rivers Alaknanda and Bhagirathi meet) to become River Ganga again.
Uttarakhand has historically been known as “Dev Bhoomi” (the land of the gods) for good reason. Many of Hinduism’s most important shrines lie within the state, tucked away in the towering mountains and along its mighty rivers. One of the most sacred of these is when India’s largest river Ganga meets its tributaries on its foaming path down to the plains at five different sites called Panch Prayag.
The Ganges is the holiest river in India, and it is believed that it purifies the soul of all its sins. Thus, the confluences of the Ganges with its tributaries are worshipped as the spiritual places of divine salvation, otherwise called “Prayag”. It is believed that a dip at the confluence cleanses the heart, mind, and soul of a person and inches him closer to liberation, or mukti.
1. Dev Prayag
Located 72 km from Rishikesh, Devprayag is the most significant confluence in Panch Prayag. It is a location where the River Alaknanda meets Bhagirathi after coming down from Vishnuprayag, Nandprayag, Karnaprayag, and Rudraprayag to form the sacred River Ganga.
Devprayag is a place where the River Ganga comes to life. Lord Laxman and Lord Ram, according to popular belief, performed intense penance there. This was done to express their remorse for Brahmahatya of Ravana, who was Brahman.
Devotees take a bath and pray here and at other Panch Prayags before continuing their journey to Chota Chardham. The entire town was destroyed in the earthquake in 1803 and was restored soon. Apart from the holy Sangam, the major attraction here is Raghunath Temple.
It is supposed to be one of the oldest temples of Lord Ram. The temple is right at the confluence. Our driver recommends visiting the Chandrabadani Temple, dedicated to Goddess Sati, about 20 km away from Devprayag. It is believed that the torso of the goddess Sati fell here, along with her weapons.
The weapons are scattered all over the place here. This temple is situated at a height of 2277 meters above sea level. It also gives a panoramic view of the Garhwal Hills and the Kedarnath, Badrinath, and Surkanda peaks.
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2. Rudra Prayag
The famed town of Rudraprayag is named after the Rudra avatar of Lord Shiva. This heavenly town is encircled by the emerald lakes, glaciers, foaming rivers and silver streams. The pristine town of Rudraprayag is nestled on the holy confluence of Alaknanda and Mandakini rivers, at 34 km from Srinagar (Garhwal). It is perched at an average elevation of 895 metres about 2,936 feet above sea level. Rudraprayag is one of the Panch Prayag or five confluences of Alaknanda River.
Rudraprayag is blessed with nature’s bounty, the climate of which depends upon the height of the region. Rudraprayag is a town and a Municipality in the Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand. It is one of the Panch Prayag (five confluences) of the Alaknanda River. The pilgrims can easily carry their Kedarnath Dham Yatra from here as it is located at a distance of 86 km from Rudraprayag.
Rudraprayag has a religious significance as devotees from distant places come here to witness the phenomenal ‘Sangam’ or the confluence of the two holy rivers. The cardinal Hindu temples of Rudraprayag are the Jagdamba temple and the Shiva temple.
One can also enrapture in the heavenly bliss of the Koteshwar Mahadev temple whose divine aura can be felt from the pristine banks of the Alaknanda River. The popular tourist attractions in the proximity of Rudraprayag are the Chamunda Devi Temple, Basukedar, Chopta, Deoria Tal, Gaurikund, Trijuginarayan, Agastya Muni temple, Kartik Swami Temple, Dhari Devi, Panch Kedar, Madhyamaheshwar, Tungnath.
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3. Karna Prayag
Bedecked on the confluence of river Alaknanda and the Pindari River, Karnaprayag is one of the Panch Prayag or the ‘five confluences’ of river Alaknanda. This holy town is situated at an average elevation of 1,451 meters above sea level.
The toy town of Karnaprayag is also known as ‘The City of Karna of Mahabharata’. It is famous for connecting the Garhwal region with the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand via NH 109. While on a visit to the Himalayas, Swami Vivekananda also meditated here with his gurus.
With the lush green hills at the backdrop, the foaming white river, and the pristine surroundings, Karnaprayag is truly a visitor’s delight. At Karnaprayag, one can pay obeisance at the ancient Uma Devi temple dedicated to Goddess Sati, the first wife of Lord Shiva who later took birth as Parvati.
It is said that the great Hindu monk and philosopher, Swami Vivekananda along with his Guru Bhai, Guru Turianand Ji, and Akharanand Ji indulged in a serious meditation at Karnaprayag, which lasted for eighteen days.
Some of the tourist places located in the vicinity of Karnaprayag are the picturesque Nauti village and the Adi Badri temple. For excursions, one can visit Nandprayag, Joshimath, Gauchar, Chamoli, Rudraprayag, Gopeshwar and Gwaldam that are located in the proximity of Karnaprayag.
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4. Nandprayag
Nandprayag is a small town located at the sacred confluence of the Alaknanda and Nandakini River. The source of Alaknanda River is Satopanth near Badrinath Dham and Nandakini River emerges from the foot of the Nanda Devi Peak. It is believed that a holy dip in the confluence of Nandprayag is capable of washing all the sins.
Nandprayag town also acts as the nagar panchayat of the Chamoli district of Garhwal region of Uttarakhand state. GMVN Tourist Bungalow in Nandprayag and other budget hotels in Nandprayag provide accommodation at affordable price. Nandprayag is situated at an altitude of 870mts at a distance of 18kms from Karnaprayag. Nandaprayag was once the capital of Yadu Kingdom. Raja Nanda performed yagna on a stone which was later used as the foundation of the Nand temple situated in Nandprayag.
Nature Walks in the evening or morning are one of the best activities to explore the lush green surroundings of Nandaprayag. One can hike to nearby vantage point and enjoy the panoramic Himalayan view. Bangali is one of the few lesser-known hamlets situated near Nandaprayag. One can hike to the village and explore the beautiful village learn about their rustic way of life, customs and beliefs.The calm and serene atmosphere that encapsulates Nandaprayag is an ideal place to meditate and get in touch with your inner self. The fresh air is simply refreshing and clears away all the toxic elements within heart and mind.
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5. Vishnuprayag
Bedecked on the holy confluence of Alaknanda and Dhauliganga rivers, Vishnuprayag is a bijou city tucked at 1,372 metres above sea level in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand. The riveting Vishnuprayag is the first one among the Panch Prayags, the other four being Nandaprayag, Karnaprayag, Rudraprayag and Devprayag according to descending order of river.
It is here that the mighty river Alaknanda also known as ‘Vishnu Ganga’ blends with the river Dhauliganga that flows from the Niti Valley. There is also a suspension bridge which helps the visitors to cross the surging Alaknanda River.
Surrounded by colossal valleys, the divine Vishnuprayag attracts several pilgrims to enrapture in the spirituality of this place. Many pilgrims while commencing the Char Dham pilgrimage tours take a holy dip in the water of Vishnuprayag. Here you can visit the ancient Vishnu Temple or admire the marvellous Vishnuprayag Hydroelectric Power Project. If you visit this place in summers, you can head to the Valley of Flowers only 21 km away from Vishnuprayag.
The gorgeous Kagbhusandi Tal, located near Vishnuprayag is a mirror to the lofty mountain ranges, overlooking the lake. Nestled in the glorious Garhwal, Vishnuprayag is blessed with scenic grandeur offers adrenaline pumping adventure activities such as trekking, white water river rafting, kayaking, canoeing and much more.
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Start your trip to Panch Prayag Temples
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