Uttar Pradesh’s deputy chief minister Keshav Maurya has said that his government is planning to change the name of Allahabad city to Prayagraj, and this decision could be taken even before next year’s Kumbh Mela.
Maurya told reporters that the government intends to clear a resolution to this effect in the cabinet soon. He said Allahabad has been called Prayag since ages, and his government will ensure that next year’s Kumbh will be held in Prayagraj.
The city of Allahabad has originally been named as Prayag since the Vedic period, but it got its present name in the 15th century after Mughal emperor Akbar ordered it to be so.
The city has immense religious significance because it hosts the famous Kumbh mela every twelve years. It has also been named as Prayag in Hindu scriptures for being the place where three major rivers, Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati, converge at a single point.
Several social and religious organizations had been demanding this change in Allahabad’s name for many years. According to local media reports, many posters and banners for 2019’s Kumbh have also referred to the city as Prayagraj, instead of Allahabad.