Origin of Ganga River

One of the Panch Prayag (five confluences) of Alaknanda River, Devprayag is a pilgrimage town in Tehri Garhwal district of Uttarakhand. Alaknanda and Bhagirathi rivers merge to form the holy River Ganga at Devprayag. The small town is situated on the route from Rishikesh to Badrinath and is about 71 km from Rishikesh.
Devprayag literally means the ‘holy confluence’. It is an extremely important religious site for Hindus. Ganga, the biggest and the holiest river in India, starts its journey to the plains and further towards Bay of Bengal from Devprayag.
Situated at an altitude of over 850 metres, Devprayag is the last prayag or confluence of Alaknanda River. Vishnuprayag, Nandaprayag, Karnaprayag and Rudraprayag are the other four confluences of the river. The entire town was destroyed in 1803 by an earthquake. Nonetheless, the heritage structures of Devprayag were restored soon and the ancient charm of the holy town has been retained.
The town is named after a holy man Dev Sharma who led his ascetic life here. It is believed that through his penance, he managed to have a glimpse of God during his stay in Devprayag. Devprayag falls on the route to Char Dham pilgrimage.
The town is home to some of the most sacred shrines in the country. Chandrabadani, Raghunathji and Danda Nagraja are amongst the most oft visited shrines in Devprayag. Raghunathji temple is considered to be one of the oldest temples of Lord Rama and is believed to have been built more than 10,000 years back. The temples have heavy influence of Dravidian style of architecture.
Located in the Himalayan ranges, the pilgrim town is known for its salubrious climate and is an excellent summer getaway. Dasarathachal Peak is the highest point in the Devprayag offering a majestic view of the Himalayan ranges.
Devprayag is also known for the plethora of adventure activities it offers. Adventure sports enthusiasts would be treated to activities such as white water rafting, kayaking, etc. Rafting starts at Bhagwan and concludes at Devprayag. Kayaking is another popular water sport which can be enjoyed in the rivers of Devprayag.
Devprayag also offers several trekking trails. Some of the most famous one’s are Shivpuri-Corbett, Rishikesh-Badrinath, etc. A few treks from Shivpuri also end at Devprayag. The confluence of Alaknanda and Bhagirathi rivers leads is a popular camping spot.
Locals generally speak Garhwali. However, most of them can also converse in Himachali and Hindi.

Tips

•  If you are driving down to Devprayag, drive extremely carefully and do not try to overtake as the roads are very narrow.
• Avoid visiting Devprayag during monsoon as the region is prone to landslides.

Where to stay

There are quite a few accommodation options in Devprayag. One can find hotels, resorts, motels and lodges offering budget and mid range accommodation. Tourists can also choose to stay in the Yoga Centre where budget accommodation is provided along with satvik food (organic balanced food). Yoga sessions are conducted every morning. The Yoga Centre also offers scenic views of Alaknanda, Ganga and Bhagirathi rivers. Almost all the hotels and resorts are located on river banks.

Where to eat

Devprayag, being a temple town, is predominantly vegetarian. Most of the restaurants and street stalls serve vegetarian food. Only few hotels have in-house restaurants that serve non vegetarian delicacies. Restaurants also serve Chinese, Continental and Italian cuisines apart from Indian delicacies.

Best time to visit

Devprayag is an all weather destination. Summer months are mild with temperature hovering from seven to 31 degree Celsius. Winters can be extremely cold with mercury levels dropping to as low as zero degrees Celsius. The town receives more than moderate rainfall during monsoon. January-June and October-December is the best time to visit Devprayag.