Devprayag
Swati JainSwati Jain|Guest Contributor|SIGHTSEEING, DEVPRAYAG Updated : Jun 27, 2016, 06.39 PM IST
Swati Jain
Swati Jain has been travelling the world since she was a kid and has explored parts of Europe, US, UK and India. Since she quit her cubicle job in 2013, Swati has been backpacking in and around India covering 145 cities across 20 states. Her expertise lies in writing the travel, hotel and food guides. She blogs at www.buoyantfeet.com
In Sanskrit, prayag means ‘confluence’ and Devprayag stands for ‘holy confluence’. Devprayag is the confluence of two holy rivers Alaknanda and Bhagirathi to form Ganga. According to religious scriptures, Devprayag is one of the five important holy confluences. Rivers like Bhagirathi, Alaknanda & the mythological river Saraswati (flowing underground) meet to from the River Ganga. River Bhagirathi originates from Gangotri and Alaknanda originates from Badrinath, both of which are considered sacred destinations for Hindus across the world. Devprayag is the last prayag of River Alaknanda. Religiously, the site is very sacred and holds immense significance among the Hindu followers. It is believed that Lord Rama and the King Dushratha did penance here. There is an ancient temple of Raghunathji built above the confluence with massive rocks. It is believed that the temple was built more than ten thousand years ago. There is a small water spring called Baitalshila, which is believed to have powers to cure leprosy. Devprayag is also hugely blessed with divine natural beauty and showers tourists with its serenity. The place is accessible throughout the year and can be visited anytime. Try avoiding Devprayag during monsoons, when the water level rises and there are chances of roads getting blocked due to landslides. Devprayag is a small town situated in Tehri Garhwal district in the state of Uttarakhand, located on the Rishikhesh-Badrinath highway.
Liked this article? Let your friends know about it