Panch Prayag is the confluence of five sacred rivers Vishnuprayag, Nandaprayag, Karnaprayag, Rudraprayag and Devprayag in Uttarakhand. These rivers merge to form the holy River Ganga who is worshipped as the life-giving goddess. It is believed that taking a dip in the Panch Prayag cleanses the soul and provides moksha (salvation).
Legend of Panch Prayag
According to Hindu mythology, Goddess Ganga wanted to descend down to Earth and bless humankind, but Her power was too much to Earth to take. Lord Shiva, knowing this, decided to split Her energy and distribute it equally across the lands. He took Her energy into His matted locks and directed it to flow into Earth in twelve channels. These channels are said to rejoin after Devprayag, the last of the Panch Prayag birthing the holy Ganga river. This is why the Devprayag is hailed as the most important of the Panch Prayag.
The Satopanth, Bhagirathi, Alaknanda, Vishnuganga, Dhauliganga, Nandakini, Pindar, and Mandakini meet at different points along the path and finally form the Ganga at the holy Devprayag point.
Vishnuprayag
Nandprayag
There is a well-known sanctuary of Gopalji (Lord Krishna) at Nandprayag. The wedding of King Dushyanta and Shakuntala is said to have occurred here. Nandprayag is additionally a door to Badrikshetra. The region amongst Satopanth and Nandprayag is referred to as Badrikshetra as all the important Badri temples (Panch Badri) are situated inside this territory.
Karnaprayag
As indicated by Kalidas' Abhijanaa-Shakuntalam, Dushyant and Shakuntala's relationship blossomed at Karna Prayag. The Hindu priest Swami Vivekananda meditated Karnaprayag for 18 days.
Rudraprayag
A black rock situated at Rudraprayag is believed to be where Narada meditated, and later it came to be known as the Narad Shila. There are temples of Rudranath and Chamunda Devi here. Around 142 km far from Rishikesh, it is at Rudraprayag that the street separates- one goes to Kedarnath and the other towards Badrinath (passing by Karnaprayag, Nandprayag, and Vishnuprayag).
Devprayag
Devprayag is where River Alaknanda meets the Bhagirathi. All the five rivers meet here to form the holy river Ganga. Situated in Tehri Garhwal, around 73 km far from Rishikesh, Devprayag can be visited any time of the year. One can pray and shower at all Panch Prayag, beginning from Devprayag, and afterwards finish up the journey with the most sacred darshan of Lord Badrinath. Moreover, a Panch Prayag yatra can be consolidated with Chota Char Dham Yatra for a more satisfying and complete peaceful tour in Uttarakhand.
Read more about Char Dham Yatra
How to Reach Panch Prayag
The closest city to the Panch Prayag is Rishikesh.
Car: One can reach Rishikesh from the nearby city of Haridwar, which is 20 kilometres away. The only way to reach the Panch Prayag from Rishikesh is by road, hire a car or taxi to cover the Panch Prayag. The distance from Rishikesh to the five Prayags are as follows:
- Dev Prayag: 69 kilometres
- Rudra Prayag: 140 kilometres
- Karna Prayag: 170 kilometres
- Nanda Prayag: 190 kilometres
- Vishnu Prayag: 260 kilometres
Bus: Package tours are available from Rishikesh and Haridwar that cover the five Prayags. This is the best option to cover all the spots comfortably.
Flight: The nearest airport is at Dehradun, about 35 kilometres away from Rishikesh. Dehradun is connected to all major Indian cities by air.
Train: The nearest train station is at Rishikesh, with connections to Haridwar and other major North Indian stations. One can reach Haridwar from cities like Chennai, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Delhi, and take a one-hour trip to Rishikesh.
So what are you waiting for? Pack your bags and be ready to take a bath in holy Panch Prayag and feel free from all worldly troubles.