About Prayagraj

Prayagraj

"The site at which Prayagraj(Allahabad) stands has been in the occupation of the civilised race long before the first faint beginnings of authentic history. While its contemporaries in the pre-historic age are now gone forever, Babylon and Carthage, Thebes and Memphis have perished to rise no more, the Prayag of the ancient Indian mythology stands like the Indraprastha of the Mahabahrata, where it did five thousand years ago."

In 600 BC, the region now called Prayagraj was part of the kingdom of Vatsa, with its capital in Kaushambi, which still exists southwest of modern-day Prayagraj. Gautama Buddha visited this city three times, adding to its spiritual importance. Under the Mauryan Empire, Kaushambi became an important administrative center. Emperor Ashoka ordered two large stone pillars to be placed here, one of which was later moved to Prayagraj.

Archaeological digs in Bhita, another key site, have revealed many artifacts from the Mauryan period. After the Mauryas, the region was ruled by the Sungas, and evidence of their reign can be found in Prayagraj. The Kushan Empire also left behind important relics, including seals from Emperor Kanishka. During the Gupta period, the region continued to thrive, and several significant items were found in Kaushambi, Bhita, and Jhunsi. Ashoka’s pillar in Prayagraj contains inscriptions praising Samudra Gupta, and the ‘Samudrakupa’ well in Jhunsi is named after him. After the fall of the Gupta dynasty, Prayagraj faded into the background, but in the 7th century AD, the Chinese traveler Huien Tsang visited and noted its rich Brahminical traditions.

In 1540, Sher Shah Suri built the Grand Trunk Road, connecting Agra, Prayagraj, Jhunsi, and Jaunpur, making the area more accessible. In 1567, Akbar defeated a rebel governor near Prayag and recognized the strategic importance of the area. In 1575, he founded a new city called ‘Ilahabas,’ later renamed Prayagraj. Under Akbar’s rule, the city grew rapidly and became an important center for pilgrims, shaping its modern identity.