Prayagraj

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A historic city in the Uttar Pradesh state of northern India, located where the Ganges and Yamuna rivers meet
2. The ancient pilgrimage city in northern India that sits at the confluence of the Ganges and Yamuna, formerly called Allahabad
3. A major Indian city in Uttar Pradesh renowned as a sacred Hindu site at the meeting point of two great rivers

Etymology: Prayagraj is the modern name of the city at the confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati rivers, and its name is built from two Sanskrit-derived elements. The first, "prayaga," refers to a sacrifice or ritual site, while "raj" means kingdom or rule, so the name can be read as something like "kingdom of sacrifice." The city is a major pilgrimage destination, and the Kumbh Mela is held there at intervals. The name was not always in use. The city was known for centuries as Allahabad, a name given under Mughal rule in the sixteenth century, and it was officially changed back to Prayagraj in 2018. The English form entered use as a transliteration of the Hindi name, so readers encountering it in older texts will find it under the earlier name instead.