Rivers are considered sacred in India. In Hinduism, rivers are highly significant, and
each one represents a deity. In Uttarakhand, five holy river confluences are collectively
known as “Panch Prayag.” The most sacred river, the Ganges, does not originate in
Gaumukh and rather, it is created when all of the Panch Prayag rivers combine to make the
Ganges. Vishnuprayag, Nandaprayag, Karnaprayag, Rudraprayag, and Devprayag are
the five places listed in descending sequence of river confluence. Every year,
thousands of believers travel to Panch Prayag to perform pujas, bathe in rivers, and
purify their souls in order to achieve salvation.
History
The history of Panch Prayag is related to the origin and formation of the Ganges.
According to mythology, King Bhagiratha made penances to please Lord Brahma.
Brahma chose to grant Bhagiratha’s wish because he was impressed by his devotion.
Therefore, he urged Brahma to send the goddess Ganga to earth. He desired for the
Ganga rivers to run over his forefathers’ ashes in order to pay reparation for their sins,
purify their souls, and grant them heaven. Goddess Ganga had a powerful force when
she descended to Earth. It was reported that she had been divided into 12 channels to
reduce her power and that these channels eventually reunited to form the River Ganga
again after Devprayag. At this point, the rivers Alaknanda and Bhagirathi converge.
Vishnuprayag
Vishnuprayag is the confluence of the Alaknanda and Dhauliganga rivers. It is located in
the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, India, at a height of 1,372 meters (4,501 feet) above
sea level. The Bhagirathi Glacier and the Satopanth Glacier merge to form the source of
the Alaknanda River. This river passes through Tibet, flows through Badrinath Dham,
one of the temples of the Char Dham Yatra, and joins the Dhauliganga River in
Vishnuprayag.
The Dhauliganga rises at the Niti Pass in the border region between Garhwal and
southwest Tibet. It joins the river Alaknada at Vishnu Prayag after merging with the
Rishiganga at Rini, close to Tapovan in the Chamoli district. According to legends, Rishi
Narad Muni meditated at Vishnuprayag to impress Lord Vishnu and seek forgiveness. At
Vishnuprayag, there is a temple established by Queen Ahiliya Bai. That is why this Prayag
is known as Vishnu Prayag. It is said that bathing in its holy waters is purifying. The
Valley of Flowers, the Urgam Valley, and the Kalpeshwar Temple are some of the nearby
attractions around this Prayag. The closest airport and railway station are Jolly Grant
Airport in Dehradun and Rishikesh, respectively, while Vishnuprayag is reachable by
road from major Uttarakhand cities. The warm months of April through June are the
ideal times to visit Vishnuprayag.
Nandaprayag
Nandaprayag is the confluence of the Alaknanda and Mandakini rivers. It is situated at an
elevation of 1,358 meters (4,455 feet) above sea level in the Chamoli district of
Uttarakhand, India, and approximately 70 kilometers away from Vishnuprayag. The
Nandakini River originates from the lap of Trishul Mountain; Nanda Ghughati merges
with the Alaknada River (which originates from Bhagirathi and Satopanth Glacier) at
Nandaprayag. This confluence was named after King Rajanand, who performed a great
ritual at the Nanda Devi temple near Nandaprayag to have a son with the blessings of
Lord Vishnu. Impressed by his dedication, Lord Vishnu himself was taking birth in the
form of Lord Krishna at his house. At the same time, fortunately, Devki, who was the
Demon King Ravana’s sister, was blessed with Lord Krishna’s birth as his son. That is
why Lord Vishnu took birth in Devki’s womb but was brought up by Yashoda and
Rajanand as his parents. There is a temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu here. The closest
airport is Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun, and the closest railway station is Rishikesh.
Nandaprayag is reachable by road. The summer and early autumn seasons are ideal
for travel to Nandaprayag.
Karnaprayag
Karnaprayag is formed by the merging of the Alaknanda and Pindar rivers. Found at an
elevation of about 1,451 meters (4,760 feet) above sea level in the Chamoli district of
Uttarakhand, India, and is 20 KM away from Nandaprayag Pindar Ganga, which is also
known as Karn Ganga, originates from the Pindari Glacier, situated in the Uttarakhand
district of Bageshwar in the Kumaon area, which merges with the Alaknanda River
(which originates when Bhagirathi and Satopanth Glaciers meet) at Karnaprayag. This
Prayag is named after the legend of Mahabharatha, Karna. Karna used to worship his
father, Surya Devata, god of the sun, at this place. After the Mahabharata war, Lord
Krishna performed the last rites of Karna here. At this place, only Karna was blessed with
armor and coils (kawach and kundals) as his body parts. Close to Karnaprayag is a well-
known site called the Uma Devi Temple. The nearest airport is Jolly Grant Airport in
Dehradun, and the nearest railway station is Rishikesh. Karnaprayag is well-connected
by road. Summer is the ideal season to visit Karnaprayag because of the lovely weather.
Rudraprayag
Rudraprayag is the confluence of the Alaknanda and Mandakini rivers. Situated at
around 895 meters (2,936 feet) above sea level in the Rudraprayag district of
Uttarakhand, India. The Mandakini River originates from the Charabari Glacier, which is
behind Kedarnath Dham; after that, it meets the Vasuki Ganga. At last, it meets
Alaknanda at Rudraprayag. Rudraprayag takes the name of Lord Shiva and is thought
to be the location where Shiva, in his Rudra incarnation, arrived to bless Narada for his
penance, which he performed by standing solely on one leg in honour of Lord Shiva. It
is crucial to visit Rudraprayag during the Char Dham Yatra. From this point forward, the
only routes leading to well-known temples like Badrinath and Kedarnath Temple are
distinct. This Prayag is also known as the land of Lord Shiva because there are many
temples of Shiva around this Prayag. Major attractions close to Rudraprayag are the
Rudranath Temple and the Koteshwar Temple. Road connectivity is available at
Rudraprayag; the closest airport is Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun, and the closest
railway station is Rishikesh. The summer and autumn seasons are the ideal times to
visit Rudraprayag.
Devprayag
It is the confluence of the Alaknanda and Bhagirathi rivers, forming the Ganges.
Devprayag is located in the Tehri Garhwal district of Uttarakhand, India, at the height of
472 meters (1,549 feet) above sea level. The Bhagirathi River originates from Gaumukh
at the foot of the Gangotri glacier, passes through Uttarkashi, and at last merges with
the Alaknanda River (which has passed through all prayags) in Devprayag. This Prayag
was named after Rishi Dev Sharma, who worshipped Lord Vishnu here. Lord Vishnu
showered upon him a blessing and declared that this Prayag would be well-known
across the three Loks He also named this Prayag after this name. It is commonly
believed that severe penances were conducted by Lord Laxman and Lord Ram here.
They did this to show their regret for Brahmahatya, the Brahman who was Ravana.
Before starting the Chota Char Dham Yatra, devotees bathe and offer prayers at this
and other Panch Prayags. One of the main attractions in Devprayag is the Raghunathji
Temple, which is devoted to Lord Rama. Road connections to Devprayag are excellent;
the closest airport is Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun, and the closest railway station is
Rishikesh. For favorable weather and beautiful vistas, summer and early autumn are
the best times to visit Devprayag.
In addition to its religious significance, Panch Prayag is the ideal location for those who
enjoy nature. The air is clear and serene, and the views are magnificent. It’s the ideal
location for anyone with wanderlust.
You can do it all in Uttarakhand. Valley of Flowers is a beautiful trek, Chakrata is a good hill station and if you want some adventure then you can go Skiing in Auli.
Travel responsibly and keep your carbon footprint to a minimum!
