Ghats of Prayagraj
The ghats of the Ganga and Yamuna at Prayagraj — and how they lead to the Sangam.
Rivers
Ganga & Yamuna
Ghats line both, meeting at the Sangam
Focal point
Triveni Sangam
Reached by boat from Kila, Saraswati or Arail Ghat
Mela ground
Floodplain sandbanks
Rebuilt after every monsoon
The layout
How Prayagraj's ghats are arranged
Prayagraj sits on a tongue of land between two rivers. The Yamuna runs along the city's southern edge; the Ganga curves down its eastern side; and they meet at the Sangam below the fort. The city's ghats fall naturally into two groups:
- Yamuna ghats — Saraswati, Mankameshwar and Kila Ghat on the city side, with Arail on the opposite bank. These are permanent stone ghats and the main boat points for the Sangam.
- Ganga ghats — Dashashwamedh and Ram Ghat on the Daraganj side, and the Jhusi side across the river. Much of the Ganga bank here is open sand, which is why the Mela's temporary ghats spread out along it.
The Sangam itself is not a ghat in the usual sense — it is a point out in the water, which is why most people reach it by boat.
Directory
The ghats of Prayagraj
The main permanent ghats, plus the Mela-side bathing areas.
| Ghat | Where | River | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sangam (confluence) | Mid-river, below the fort | — | The meeting point itself; reached by boat or from the sandbank |
| Kila Ghat | Beside the fort | Yamuna | Main boat point for the Sangam |
| Saraswati Ghat | Near Mankameshwar Temple | Yamuna | Built in 2002; three-sided steps and a park; boats to the Sangam; popular in the evening |
| Mankameshwar Ghat | Next to Saraswati Ghat | Yamuna | Ghat below the Mankameshwar Shiva temple |
| Arail Ghat | South bank, opposite the fort | Yamuna | Quieter bank facing the Sangam; boats across; part of the Mela area |
| Dashashwamedh Ghat | Daraganj | Ganga | Tied to the tradition of Brahma's ten-horse sacrifice; temple of Dashashwameshwar |
| Ram Ghat | Ganga bank, city side | Ganga | Ganga ghat used heavily during the Magh Mela and Kumbh |
| Jhusi ghats | East bank of the Ganga | Ganga | Bathing areas on the historic Jhusi side, laid out during the Mela |
During the Kumbh and Magh Mela, many kilometres of temporary ghats are added along the Ganga and Yamuna banks.
The Mela ground
How the Prayagraj Mela is laid out
A city on the sand
Once the monsoon floods recede, the exposed floodplain around the Sangam is levelled and divided into numbered sectors with roads, water, power and camps.
Pontoon bridges
Floating bridges are built across the Ganga to link the city side, Jhusi and the Sangam area, and are removed after the Mela.
Three banks
The Mela spreads over the city side, Jhusi across the Ganga, and Arail across the Yamuna — each with its own camps and bathing ghats.
Every year, smaller
The same ground hosts the annual Magh Mela, when kalpavasis live in camps by the river for a month.
Worth knowing
Railway stations near the ghats
Besides Prayagraj Junction, several smaller stations sit close to the river: Prayagraj Sangam (Daraganj), Prayag, Prayagraj Rambagh, Jhusi and Naini. During the Mela, special trains are routed through these to spread arrivals.
Full inbound routes: How to Reach →
Nearby
Temples close to the ghats
| Place | Where | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Bade Hanuman (Lete Hanuman) Temple | Near the fort, ~1 km from the Sangam | Reclining Hanuman image, partly submerged in the monsoon |
| Akshayavat & Patalpuri | Inside the fort | The 'immortal' banyan and underground temple |
| Mankameshwar Temple | Yamuna bank, by Saraswati Ghat | Shiva temple overlooking the Yamuna |
| Alopi Devi Temple | Alopibagh | Temple where a wooden doli is worshipped |
Keep exploring
Continue exploring
Triveni Sangam guide
How to bathe at the confluence.
Prayagraj overview
The city and how to reach it.
Ghats of Haridwar
Compare with the Ganga at Haridwar.
Questions
Frequently asked
The Triveni Sangam is the main bathing point. Kila Ghat and Saraswati Ghat are the main permanent ghats from which boats go to the Sangam.
Saraswati Ghat, Mankameshwar Ghat and Kila Ghat on the city side, and Arail Ghat on the opposite bank.
Dashashwamedh Ghat and Ram Ghat on the Daraganj side, plus bathing areas at Jhusi on the east bank.
Kila Ghat, Saraswati Ghat and Arail Ghat are the usual boat points.
No — it is on the Yamuna, named after the Saraswati that tradition says joins the Sangam unseen.
Prayagraj Sangam station at Daraganj is the closest to the Ganga ghats and the Sangam.