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Devprayag is a small town situated in the Tehri District of Uttarakhand. Situated at the confluence of River Alaknanda and River Bhagirathi, Devprayag is a popular pilgrimage destination of Hindus. Located en-route to Badrinath from Rishikesh, the destination lies at an average altitude of 472 meters above sea level, at a distance of about 75 km away from Rishikesh.
Devprayag, which means ‘Holy Confluence’ in Sanskrit, was named after a Hindu ascetic, sage Devsharma. As per legend, Devsharma devoted his entire life in intense penance to attain a glimpse of Lord Vishnu and was subsequently blessed by Lord Rama, the seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu.
The town of Devprayag was also known as Brahmapuri or Brahm Teerth or Srikhand Nagar in the 7th century, which is evident from the writings of Huen Tsang, the Chinese traveller. Adi Shankaracharya along with Tilang Bhatt Brahmins visited Devprayag in the 8th century. It is believed that the priests and pundits of Badrinath, who made Devprayag their winter seat, are the descendants of these Tilang Bhatt Brahmins.
Devprayag, which is set in three angular blocks due to the confluence, was a part of the Garhwal Kingdom and was ruled by the Shahs of the Panwar Dynasty, since 14th century AD. Devprayag was invaded by the Gurkhas in 1803 and was restored to the Panwar Dynasty in 1815 with the help of the British. It came under British rule during the 1900s.
Devprayag holds great religious significance among Hindu pilgrims as this is the place where rivers Alakananda and Bhagirathi conjoin to form the main stream of River Ganges. According to the Ramayana, Lord Rama and King Dasharatha did penance at Devpraryag, to relieve off their sin of Brahmahatya. Pandavas also performed ablutions at Devprayag before visiting Badrinath to attain salvation, during their journey for Svargarohana.
According to the Vaishnavite clan, Devprayag is one among the 108 Divya Desams or the sacred abodes of Lord Vishnu. Devprayag holds the fifth place among the five sacred river confluences or the Panch Prayag, the other four being Vishnu Prayag, Nand Prayag, Karn Prayag and Rudra Prayag. The piousness of Devprayag is considered equivalent to the Triveni Sangam located at Allahabad.
Devprayag tourism offers pilgrimages to Raghunathji Temple, Chandrabadani Temple, Dashrathshila, etc. Activities such as trekking and river rafting can also be done at Devprayag. The connectivity of Devprayag to all the major destinations in the Garhwal region makes it a popular tourist destination.
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Devprayag is known as a temple town and has innumerable shrines. Situated in the vicinity of Rishikesh, Devprayag is popular as a confluence point of Alaknanda and Bhagirathi Rivers. Among all the temples, the ancient shrine of Lord Rama is prominent which is associated with legends, heritage and traditions.
Raghunath Temple, dedicated to Lord Rama, is believed to be 10,000 years old. Built of uncemented stones, the temple is situated on an elevated platform in an irregular pyramid form. The top of the temple is enshrined with a golden ball and spire. There are several holy spots around the river which are associated with the life of Lord Rama and his father, Suryavanshi King Dashratha.
Brahm Kund and Vasisht Kund on the Bhagirathi River and Alaknanda River respectively, are among the most frequented pilgrim locations. Some of the popular religious spots of Devprayag are Baital Kund, Surya Kund, Indradyumna Tirth, Pushyamal Tirth, Varah Tirth, Pushpavatika, Varahishila and Baitalshila. Other notable shrines in the destination are Bhairava, Bhushandi, Durga and Vishveshvara.
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