‘Prayag’ or confluence in the Hindu tradition signifies confluence of two or more rivers where ablutions (bathing) before worship takes place. The Panch Prayag is the holiest of confluences after the Prayag in Allahabad. 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.
Browse through the List of Panch Prayag Destinations in Uttarakhand
The Panch Prayag of Uttarakhand traces the route carved by Alaknanda River when it leaves its Himalayan abode from Satopanth glacier. It is joined by Dhauliganga River at Vishnuprayag, near Joshimath. Nandaprayag is the second confluence in cascading sequence, where Alaknanda River is joined by Nandakini River.
The third confluence of Alaknanda River is at Karnaprayag, where the tragic hero of Mahabharata, Karna, did penance to please Sun God. Here, Pindar River joins Alaknanda. Rudraprayag is the fourth confluence between Alaknanda and Mandakini River. The fifth and final union takes place at Devprayag where Alaknanda River joins Bhagirathi forming river Ganges, which flows down to the plains.
Panch Prayag is visited by pilgrims and devotees when partaking in Char Dham Yatra. Many Char Dham Yatra packages include visit to Panch Prayag in their itinerary. Devprayag is the holiest of all the Panch Prayag and is situated at the confluence of Alaknanda and Bhagirathi rivers known as Sangam. Char Dham pilgrimage along with Panch Prayag are always good for popularizing Uttarakhand tourism.
