Prayagraj old name: Why Allahabad changed and what it means today

When you hear Prayagraj, a city in Uttar Pradesh, India, known for its spiritual significance and the confluence of three sacred rivers. Also known as Allahabad, it has been called both names at different times in history, and many still use the old name in daily life. The shift from Allahabad to Prayagraj wasn’t just a paperwork update—it reflected a deeper reconnection with the city’s ancient roots. Long before Mughal rulers gave it the name Allahabad in the 16th century, this was the sacred Triveni Sangam, the meeting point of the Ganga, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati rivers, a site of pilgrimage for over 2,000 years. The name Prayagraj comes from Prayag, the Sanskrit word for "confluence," and Raj, meaning "place" or "city." It’s not a new name—it’s the original one, brought back.

People still talk about Allahabad when they mean the city’s colonial past, its universities, or the old British-era buildings along MG Road. But if you ask a local about the Kumbh Mela, the rituals at Sangam, or the temples where daily prayers have been sung for centuries, they’ll say Prayagraj. The renaming in 2018 wasn’t about erasing history—it was about reclaiming it. The Allahabad Development Authority, the government body responsible for urban planning in the city, now uses Prayagraj in all official documents, but you’ll still find the old name on street signs, old maps, and in the memories of longtime residents. This isn’t confusion—it’s layered identity. The city carries both names like a living archive.

What does this mean for you? If you’re visiting, reading news, or researching real estate, you’ll see both names used interchangeably. The Prayagraj old name still matters—it’s in property records, bus routes, and local jokes. But if you want to understand the soul of the place, you need to know Prayagraj. The city’s transformation isn’t just about a sign change. It’s about who gets to tell the story. And now, the story starts with the Sangam, not the Mughal court.

Below, you’ll find posts that dig into the city’s past, its people, its rivers, and how the name shift connects to everything from temple rituals to police station locations. Whether you’re curious about Jawaharlal Nehru’s birthplace, why Prayagraj is called Mini India, or how the Triveni Sangam draws millions every year—you’ll find it here. This isn’t just about a name change. It’s about a city remembering who it was, and who it still is.