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Ganga, that
most sacred of Indian rivers, is worshipped as the life-giving goddess who brought
salvation to this land. Pilgrims bathe in the Ganga on auspicious days and her waters are
used for purification rituals. This great river, emerging from the icy glaciers of the
Himalayas, descended to earth with such force that the gods had to be called in to prevent
a complete deluge. The mighty Ganga was split into 12 channels to temper her force and the
siblings again unite into one single stream after Devprayag, where the two great
streams of Alaknanda and Bhagirathi meet. Four other confluences higher up add up to form
the five holy confluences or Panch Prayag, which
pilgrims visit for worship. |
The river
Alaknanda, the main tributary of the Ganga, rises near Badrinath and flows down to
meet the Dhauli Ganga River, 10 kms north of Joshimath at Vishnuprayag. Cutting a deep gorge into the
mountains, the confluence is dark and mostly in the shadows.
At Nandprayag, 190 kms short of Rishikesh on the
Uttarkashi road, the River Mandakini joins the Alaknanda. A temple dedicated
to Gopalji (a form of Lord Krishna) marks the confluence.
21 kms
below is Karnaprayag, the confluence of Alaknanda
and the Pindar River which flows out of the Nanda Devi glacier. There are two
temples here, one dedicated to Uma (the goddess Durga) and the other to Karna, the tragic
hero of the Mahabharata.
At Rudraprayag, 137 kms short of Rishikesh, the Alaknanda
meets the other major stream of Mandakini. This is an important commercial
centre from where a road leads to Kedarnath, the source of the River Mandakini. Temples of
Rudranath and Chamunda Devi mark the confluence.
Finally,
68 kms north of Rishikesh the Alaknanda meets the Bhagirathi emanating from
Gomukh to form the mighty Ganga. Known as Devprayag,
this is the most spectacular of all the confluences, with a huge promontory of rock
marking the meeting point.
When
to go
The area
which encompasses the Panch Prayag is one of high mountains, with low temperatures through
much of the year. Although all the Prayags can be reached by road throughout the year,
it’s better to give them a miss during the winter months, when it gets very cold.
Getting
there and around
Rishikesh
is the best starting point for the Panch Prayag Yatra. The town is well connected by road
and rail to much of northern India, with regular trains and buses coming from Dehradun,
Delhi and other cities.
From
Rishikesh, state transport buses, private coaches and special `pilgrim’ buses do the
Panch Prayag circuit. In addition to this, private taxis and vehicles may be hired at
Rishikesh to do the trip.
Accommodation
Dharamshalas (the very inexpensive rest houses for pilgrims) and the tourist homes run by
the State Tourist Department are some places to stay in while in the area. The
accommodation is basic but it does very well for those in search of redemption. Liquor and
non-vegetarian food is hard to find but excellent vegetarian north and south Indian food
is found in plenty at the small cafés and restaurants along the Panch Prayag.
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