Devprayag, perched at an elevation of 830 metres (2,723 feet), is a scenic as well as religiously important town located in Tehri Garhwal district in the state of Uttarakhand, India. This mesmerizing town is situated at the confluence of Alaknanda and Bhagirathi rivers. The united stream after the confluence becomes the holy river of Ganga. The place also holds a great religious significance.
Main Attraction of Devprayag:
This is the place where Alaknanda and Bhagirathi rivers meet and take the name of holy Ganga or Ganges River, which is considered to be the most sacred river in Hinduism. It is also one of the Panch Prayags (five confluences) of Alaknanda River. The confluence has Brahma Kund on Bhagirathi River and Vashisht Kund on Alaknanda River. There is a place called Baitalshila, it is believed that taking a bath in it may cure leprosy.
Religious Importance:
It is an essential pilgrimage center for Hindus, which holds a great significance in Hinduism. The town is situated amidst the beautiful Himalayan ranges. It is home of the several ancient and important temples in the lush green surroundings. Dasharathachal Peak, Chandrabadani temple and Raghunathji temple are among some of the popular attractions here.
Raghunathji Temple:
This important temple was constructed by the king of Tehri Garhwal. It is on the Rishikesh-Badrinath highway. The temple was damaged in an earthquake in 1803 and was renovated later. The temple is 80 ft. high with a tall image of Lord Vishnu made of black granite.
It is also believed that Adi Guru Shankaracharya established this temple in 8th century during his visit to Devprayag. The Raghunath Temple is one of the 108 Divya Desams. These are 108 temples of lord Vishnu, out of which 105 are in India, one is in Nepal and two are believed to be outside the Earth. Here, lord Vishnu is worshipped as Raghunathji (Lord Rama) and Goddess Lakshmi as Sita Maa.
Mythologies:
As per the Hindu mythology, Lord Rama visited Devprayag to meditate after the brutal war of Ramayana. He took a bath in the origin of holy river Ganga. Mythology also states that the Pandavas meditated here before the war of Mahabharata. The Sage Bharadwaja also performed penance at Devprayag and became the one of Saptarishis (seven sacred sages).
How To Reach Devprayag:
By Road
Devprayag is well connected with motorable roads to all major cities of Uttarakhand and North India. Buses are available from ISBT Dehradun, ISBT Kashmere Gate Delhi and Rishikesh regularly. The place is located on national highway number 58.
By Train
Haridwar railway station is the nearest . Rishikesh and Devprayag both are well connected with motorable roads. Private and state buses are available at the station. The distance is around 110 km between Rishikesh railway station and Devprayag.
By Air
Jolly grant airport, Dehradun is the nearest airport to Devprayag. It is situated at a distancce of 91 km. Taxis and buses are available from the airport.