Prayagraj the sacred confluence of Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati beckoned me from my Nashik home, 1204 kilometers away. I’m Dhanwant, a solo wanderer who’s zipped through Nashik’s streets on my Activa, but this time, I craved a train’s rhythm. Last month, I booked a ₹650 Sleeper Class ticket on the Saket SF Express (22183) Nashik Road at 9:45 AM to Prayagraj Junction at 3:50 AM the next day, an 18-hour-5-minute pilgrimage. Over 3 days, I bathed at Sangam Ghat Prayagraj, prayed at Mankameshwar, savored kachori at Netram, and slept in dorms (₹300-700/night) all for ₹8-10K, food, travel, and stay included. Here’s my dharmik odyssey raw, reverent, and rooted in a Nashik boy’s heart
Day 0: The Train Ride Nashik to Prayagraj
I pulled into Nashik Road station at 8:30 AM, the October air cool against my skin. A ₹10 chai from a platform stall warmed my hands as I waited platform 2, alive with vendors shouting “chai, chai” and travelers hauling bags. The Saket SF Express rolled in at 9:45 AM, bang on time, its blue coaches stretching long. My Sleeper Class berth ₹650, window side was a budget win, perfect for a solo soul like me. I settled in, theplas packed from home rustling in my bag, and watched Nashik fade as the train chugged east.
The 1204-kilometer journey unfolded slow green fields, dusty towns, and 16 stops like Bhusaval (2:50 PM), where I grabbed a ₹15 masala chai from the pantry, and Jabalpur (10:40 PM), where night cloaked the windows. Fellow passengers chatted some pilgrims, some workers their voices a soft hum over the train’s clatter. I dozed fitfully, the berth hard but bearable, waking to stretches of Madhya Pradesh blurring past. At 3:50 AM, Prayagraj Junction’s dim platform loomed cold, quiet, a few stray dogs pacing. I hauled my backpack to a dorm near the station (₹500/night), crashed on a bunk, and let sleep claim me till dawn.
Day 1: Triveni Sangam and Prayagraj’s Sacred Dawn
I woke at 5:00 AM, the dorm’s fan whirring above, and splashed water on my face Prayagraj awaited. An auto rickshaw (₹50) took me to Triveni Sangam by 5:30 AM, the city still half-asleep. Sangam Ghat Prayagraj stretched before me Ganga’s muddy rush kissing Yamuna’s green calm, Saraswati flowing unseen beneath. I hired a boat (₹100, 30 minutes), the rower’s oars slicing water as he chanted “Har Har Gange.” At the confluence, I dipped my hands the cold bit my skin, but my heart warmed. Hindu lore promises this bath washes sins; I whispered a prayer to Ganesha, seeking strength for this journey.
Back on the ghat, the 6:00 AM aarti began priests lit diyas, their flames dancing on the water, bells ringing soft and steady. I sat on the stone steps, a ₹20 modak from a vendor in hand sweet, simple, my offering to the remover of obstacles. Pilgrims bathed nearby, their chants blending with the river’s murmur Sangam Ghat Prayagraj felt alive, eternal, dharmik. I stayed till 7:30 AM, soaking in the sunrise, gold spilling over the Triveni.
By 8:00 AM, I walked to Sri Mankameshwar Mandir (1 km, ₹20 auto) a Shiva temple on the Yamuna’s edge. Its black lingam glowed in the dim sanctum; I lit a diya (₹10), the flame flickering as I folded my hands. It reminded me of Nashik’s Trimbakeshwar smaller, but no less sacred. At 10:00 AM, I reached Nagvasuki Mandir (2 km, ₹30 auto) Lord Vasuki’s coiled idol guarding the Ganga. I offered flowers (₹20), awed by its quiet power, and sat for a moment, the temple’s peace sinking in.
Lunch hit at 11:30 AM Netram Mulchand and Sons (3 km, ₹40 auto), a Prayagraj legend. Kachori and sabzi (₹50) crisp, spiced, steaming filled me up, a taste of local love. I lingered till 12:30 PM, then returned to Sangam Ghat by 1:00 PM (₹40 auto), watching boats glide and pilgrims pray. Day 1 closed at 5:30 PM with sunset at Sangam orange hues on the water, my dorm (₹500) calling me back by 6:30 PM.
Day 2: Temples, History, and Prayagraj’s Food Soul
Day 2 kicked off at 6:00 AM chai from a dorm vendor (₹10) jolted me awake. By 6:30 AM, I was at Bharadwaj Ashram (5 km from Sangam, ₹60 auto) Sage Bharadwaj’s ancient retreat. No idols, just a serene courtyard where I walked barefoot, feeling wisdom in the stillness. At 7:30 AM, I moved to Shankar Viman Mandapam (2 km, ₹30 auto) a 130-foot tower of faith. I climbed its 108 steps by 8:15 AM each a quiet prayer reaching Lord Shankar’s shrine. The view stretched wide Ganga gleaming, Prayagraj sprawling below a dharmik reward.
At 9:30 AM, I hit Khusro Bagh (4 km, ₹50 auto) Mughal tombs in a shaded garden. I wandered till 11:00 AM, tracing history in the carved domes Jahangir’s son Khusrau rests here, his story silent but heavy. By 11:30 AM, Anand Bhavan (3 km, ₹40 auto) Nehru’s ancestral home drew me in (₹70 entry). I roamed its halls till 1:00 PM, India’s freedom echoing in old photos and rooms. Next door, Allahabad Museum (₹50 entry) at 1:15 PM ancient relics, Gupta-era sculptures kept me till 2:30 PM, history nerd in me buzzing.
Food was my afternoon prayer. At 3:00 PM, Raja Ram Lassi Waalaa (Civil Lines, ₹50 auto) a ₹60 lassi, thick with malai, cooled my core. By 4:30 PM, Nirala chaat (₹40) pani puri (₹30) burst with tang, aloo tikki (₹40) crunched with spice. I grabbed masala churmura (₹20) from a street corner at 5:30 PM peppery, addictive, a Prayagraj must. Back at my dorm (₹500) by 7:00 PM, I crashed, flavors and faith swirling in my mind.
Day 3: Forts, Parks, and a Farewell Feast
Up at 5:30 AM, I sipped dorm chai (₹10) and headed to Allahabad Fort (7 km from Sangam, ₹80 auto) by 6:30 AM. Akbar’s 1583 marvel (₹20 entry) loomed over the Yamuna I reached the sacred Akshayavat tree by 7:00 AM, its eternal branches a quiet shrine. I prayed, Lord Rama’s presence near, and lingered till 8:00 AM. At 8:30 AM, New Yamuna Bridge (3 km, ₹40 auto) a quick stop, its modern span glowing in the sun, a contrast to the fort’s age.
By 10:00 AM, Chandrashekhar Azad Park (2 km, ₹30 auto) ₹10 entry offered green shade. I sat under a tree till 11:00 AM, honoring Azad’s courage. At 11:30 AM, Swaraj Bhavan (nearby, ₹50 entry) Nehru’s birthplace drew me in till 12:30 PM, its history rich (₹70 total with Anand Bhavan).
Food capped my trip. At 1:00 PM, Sainik (3 km, ₹40 auto) chhole samosa (₹60), steaming and hearty, filled me up. By 2:30 PM, Hira Halwai (₹50 auto) dahi-jalebi (₹40), sweet-sour bliss, paired with tandoori chai (₹20) from a street vendor at 3:00 PM smoky, soul-warming. I returned to Sangam Ghat Prayagraj at 4:00 PM (₹50 auto), catching the evening aarti at 5:00 PM lamps flickering, chants rising. By 6:00 PM, I was back at Prayagraj Junction, boarding the 6:45 PM Saket SF Express (₹650) home, heart heavy with grace.
Budget Breakdown: ₹8-10K Well Spent
Here’s how my ₹8-10K stretched over 3 days:
- Train: ₹1300 (₹650 each way, Sleeper).
- Stay: ₹1500 (₹500/night x 3, dorms near station/Sangam).
- Transport: ₹1200 (autos ₹20-₹80/trip, ~15 rides).
- Food: ₹1600 (₹50-₹60/meal kachori, lassi, chaat).
- Entries/Boats: ₹600 (Sangam boat ₹100, museum ₹50, fort ₹20, etc.).
- Extras: ₹500 (prasad, chai, flowers ₹10-₹50).
- Total: ₹6700 (room to ₹10K with small splurges).
Solo travel doesn’t need a fortune Prayagraj proved it.
How to Reach Prayagraj from Anywhere
- From Nashik: Saket SF Express (22183) 9:45 AM Nashik Road to 3:50 AM (+1) Prayagraj Junction, ₹650 SL, 18h 5m.
- From Mumbai: Same train from LTT (20:45 PM-3:50 AM +1), ₹710 SL.
- From Delhi: Prayagraj Express (12417) 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM, ₹500 SL, 8 hours.
- By Air: Nashik to Prayagraj (via Mumbai/Delhi) ₹5000-₹8000, 5-7 hours.
- By Road: Nashik-Prayagraj buses ₹1200-₹1500, 22-24 hours.
- Stay: Dorms near Sangam/station ₹300-₹700/night. Book early for Kumbh 2025.
Reflections: Why Prayagraj’s Dharmik Soul Captured Me
Three days in Prayagraj Sangam Ghat Prayagraj’s holy dip, Mankameshwar’s lingam, Netram’s kachori wove a tapestry of faith, history, and flavor. The train’s clatter from Nashik faded into the Ganga’s murmur; the Yamuna’s green soothed my eyes; the Saraswati’s mystery stirred my soul. I stood at Akshayavat, climbed Shankar Viman’s steps, tasted tandoori chai each moment a prayer. Prayagraj isn’t just a city; it’s a dharmik heartbeat, pulsing through ghats, temples, and streets. My ₹10K stretched far, but the real wealth was peace. Felt the Triveni’s call? Savored its chaat? Share below I’m back in Nashik, but Prayagraj lingers.
