The sacred confluences
Legend
Mythology states that when the holy waters of Goddess Ganga descended onto earth her mighty and strong currents threatened to cause floods on earth. She was then trapped in Shiva's hair and divided into streams so that her force could be controlled. At the Panch Prayag, these tributaries flowing through the Himalayan mountains, unite to form the single stream of the revered river Ganga. It has been a practice of the devotees to take a holy dip in these Prayags while travelling to Badrinath. It is also believed that the Panch Prayag located enroute to Badrinath refer to the Swargarohana (ascend to heaven) path followed by the Pandavas.
Deity - Temples
Deity :- Ganga
Temples Covered:-
Vishnu Prayag
Nanda Prayag
Karna Prayag
Rudra Prayag
Dev Prayag
Panch Prayag Yatra can be integrated with Char Dham or Chota Char Dham Yatra as the prayags lie enroute to Badrinath
Climate
The summers are the best time to travel with the temperatures in low thirties which decreases with the increase in elevation. Monsoon season between June and August witnesses heavy rainfall. The winters are cold with sub zero temperatures at the higher altitudes and occurrence of snow.
Auspicious Days
People gather at Panch Prayags during Makar Sankranti, Uttarayan, Basant Panchami and Ram Navami festivals to take a dip in the river confluences.
Best time to Travel
All the Prayags can be travelled to any time of the year. However it is prudent to avoid monsoons and winter season for travel.
Darshan Info Clock Duration
7-8 days from Delhi
Yatra Preparations
Area Covered
UttarakhandLanguage spoken :- Hindi
Must Haves
Dehydration salt packets, light snacks, sunscreen, first aid kit, general medications like antibiotics, antiseptic creams etc should be carried in the daypack.Woollens should be taken as the temperature drops in the higher altitudes in the evenings.
Health Awareness
Though there are basic medical facilities available, there might not be speciality hospitals and services around the Prayags. It is advisable to carry any special medications that you might need for the entire duration of the trip.
Travel Method
All the Prayags can be reached throughout the year by road.
Crowd Expected
People come in large numbers during festival days when they gather to take a dip in the rivers.
Also crowds can be expected once the Char Dham Yatra/Chota Char Dham Yatra are open.
Festivals
People gather at Panch Prayags during Makar Sankranti, Uttarayan, Basant Panchami and Ram Navami festivals to take a dip in the river confluences.
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