If you have trekked or even travelled in Uttarakhand, you would have certainly heard of the Panch Prayag– Vishnuprayag, Nandprayag, Karnprayag, Rudraprayag and Devprayag.

You’d probably know them as a confluence of rivers, sacred temples or as iconic pit-stops on a drive across the Garhwal Himalayas. And you’re partially correct.

Geographically, these are sangams – confluences – where four major rivers of Uttarakhand meet River Alakananda on its journey down from the snows of Satopanth Glacier. And at the fifth prayag, Devprayag, Alakananda merges with Bhagirathi. Their combined stream then takes the identity of River Ganga, the lifeline of our country. This is where Ganga is born.

You see these prayags on your journey to the base of many of our treks, like Dayara Bugyal, Deoriatal Chandrashila and Ali Bedni Bugyal. In fact, on your drive to the base of our Kuari Pass Trek, you see four out of these five sacred confluences. 

What makes the Panch Prayag special?

The answers lie as much in the geography of these confluences as they lie in the history and mythology surrounding them. Over the years at Indiahikes, we have heard these stories again and again. We have stumbled upon age-old travelogues that told us more. 

Today, I want to bring their stories to you. After you read this, the next time you’re travelling along them, I’m sure you’ll feel a deeper connection to the land and the culture they have shaped.

Traditionally, the Panch Prayag are counted along the course of the Alakananda—starting from the snows beyond Badrinath in the north and ending with the southernmost at Devprayag.

The first in this sequence is Vishnuprayag, the northernmost of the five, located about 15 km from Joshimath. Here, the Dhauliganga River meets Alakananda.

Vishnuprayag: The Geography

Dhauliganga itself is one of Garhwal’s major rivers. Rising from the glaciated slopes near Niti Pass—an ancient trade route to Tibet—it journeys past iconic villages such as Gamshali, Malari, Suraithota, and Lata. 

When the  Alakananda and Dhauliganga meet at Vishnuprayag, cutting through steep gorges, both rivers are still very young in their course. Their meeting is turbulent. It creates a small scour pool at the junction where the two rivers touch each other for the first time. It’s an incredible sight! 

Outside the monsoon months, you’d see a striking visual contrast here. The Alakananda arrives in a clear, turquoise blue, fresh from its glacial origins at Satopanth. The Dhauliganga, having travelled farther and gathered silt from tributaries like Ganesh Ganga, Amrit Ganga, and Rishi Ganga, carries a muddier hue.

At Vishnuprayag, the colours briefly run side by side before blending. While Alakananda surrenders her crystalline blue, Dhauliganga surrenders her identity. From this point onward, the combined, slightly muddy stream continues its journey south as the Alakananda.

Vishnuprayag: The History and Mythology

Right at the edge of the confluence stands a small temple. From here, a flight of stone steps leads down to the pucca sangam ghat. Both the temple and the steps were built in 1889 by the Maharani of Indore. In the temple, she installed a Shivalingam brought from the River Narmada. Over time, Vishnu became the main deity, and the temple came to be known as the Vishnu Temple. The pool formed at this confluence is locally revered as the Vishnukund. 

Here’s the mythological story behind how Vishnuprayag gets its name.

Lord Brahma had asked Narad to take charge of creation and the cycle of life. Narad had declined, fearing that such responsibility would take him away from his lifelong devotion to Vishnu. Offended, Brahma laid a divine curse upon Narad, condemning Narad to live a human life. Bound by the curse, Narad descended to the mortal world. Yet his devotion did not waver. In search of a secluded place for penance, he came to a quiet pool at the confluence of rivers and immersed himself in deep penance for years. Moved by Narad’s devotion, Vishnu finally appeared before him and blessed him with the highest form of knowledge. From that day, Narad came to be known as Devarshi. The pool of water where Narad performed this penance came to be known as Vishnukund, and the confluence came to be known as Vishnuprayag.

About 70 km downstream from Vishnuprayag, we have our second prayag on the Alakananda. This is Nandprayag, where the Nandakini River joins Alakananda. 

Nandprayag: The Geography

River Nandakini is perhaps not as well-known as a Dhauliganga or Mandakini. But it has a rich mountaineering history. Named after Goddess Nanda, the presiding deity of the region, early attempts at entering the Nanda Devi Inner Sanctuary were made by following Nandakini upstream to its source in the glaciated slopes of Nanda Ghunti and Trishul.

At Nandprayag, the rippling streams of Alakananda and Nandakini blend into each other much more gently than at Vishnuprayag. In the clear months, you can clearly make out Alakananda’s stream to be distinctly more silted and coloured than the crystal clear Nandakini.

The two streams seem to flow side by side for a while beyond Nandprayag. But soon, their journey becomes one. It is the Alakananda who continues Southwards towards the next prayag.

Nandprayag: The History and Mythology

Back in the days, when roads hadn’t yet reached Joshimath, Nandprayag was a key pit-stop for pilgrims, especially in the summer months. Ancient scriptures mandate a day’s halt and ritual bathing at this confluence before visiting Badrinath. Without it, the pilgrimage was considered incomplete.

Historian E.T. Atkinson also notes that during winters of the 1880s, Nandprayag turned into an important halt for traders, in the heyday of the Indo-Tibet trade route.

Over time, and with shifting geo-political realities, these threads slowly came undone. We forgot that it was around Nandprayag that Kalidas based his timeless epic, Abhijnana Shakuntalam. Today, hardly anyone pauses to stay here.

But if you do stop and look around, you’ll find a cluster of ancient temples—the Bashishteshwar Mahadev Temple, a shrine dedicated to Nand Raaj, and the Takshak Nag Temple. Among them is the Chandika Devi Temple. A short flight of stairs beside this temple takes you down to the confluence at Nandprayag.

Here's how Nandprayag got its name.

Ancient legends say—long ago there was a king named Nanda. After ruling for many years, in his old age he came here to perform penance. He undertook a great yajna facing south. On the altar of that yajna stands the Nand RajaTemple. The river that flows beside the temple is called Nandakini. And the confluence here—where Nandakini meets the Alakananda—is known as Nandprayag.

And here's the lore of how Nandakini was born.

Once, Lord Shiva was travelling from Dakshpuri to Kailas, with Sati by his side. The long journey began to weary her. Thirst overcame her, and she bent down to drink from the waters of the Alakananda. But the Alakananda flows from Badrinath, carrying waters that have washed the feet of Narayan. Sati could not drink from it.Seeing her dilemma, Shiva struck the ground with his trishul. The earth trembled under its force. From the shaken land rose a mountain, and from its snowy heights emerged a stream—clear, pure, and untouched. Sati quenched her thirst from these waters. Refreshed, she resumed her journey with Shiva towards Kailas. That mountain still stands today—the Trishul Massif. And the stream born from it continues to flow as the Nandakini.

Our third prayag, Karnprayag is just 20 km downstream from Nandprayag. This is where the Pindar joins Alakananda.

Karnprayag: The Geography

The Pindar is a powerful river. It emerges from the Pindari Glacier, nestled between the towering peaks of Nanda Devi East and Nanda Kot. Historically, this valley offered one of the most accessible routes into the high Himalaya, drawing early mountaineers and explorers deep into Kumaon. Villages like Khati and Wachham grew along its banks, sustained by the river’s steady flow. 

The meeting of Pindar and Alakananda at Karnaprayag is perhaps the widest and most expansive confluence among the panch prayag. Karnprayag sits right at the junction of Garhwal and Kumaon. From here, one way goes towards Joshimath and the heart of Garhwal. The other road branches off towards Tharali, Gwaldam and Bageswar in Kumaon.

At the sangam, you see Alakananda flowing down from the North-East. Pindar joins it from the South-Eastern direction. The combined flow, Alakananda, then takes a Westward turn.

Karnprayag: The History and Mythology

Like Nandprayag, motorable roads have eaten into Karnaprayag’s former glory. Yet, it remains one of the very few places in India with a temple dedicated to Karna, the tragic hero of the Mahabharata.

The original shrine was lost to time, but the temple was rebuilt in the 9th century AD. Inside are the figurines of Angaraj Karna and Queen Padmavati. The temple once housed rich jewellery offerings, much of which was looted during the Gorkha War.

Here’s the story of the Karnprayag Sangam.

From the snows of Badrinath, Alakananda set out to offer salvation to the mortal world. Many obstacles lay along her path. She grew tired and slowed down. The snows of Pindari watched her from afar. If Alakananda failed to carve her way forward, it would be a disaster. So, Pindari melted her heart and from it created a swift, crystal-clear stream— the Pindar Ganga. She dedicated this to Alakananda. Through Pindar, Alakananda found renewed vitality. Filled with fresh force, she moved onward towards Rudraprayag to meet the Mandakini.

And here’s why it bears Karna’s name.

From the courtyard of Karna Temple, you see the sandy riverbank below. Drawn into the dense forests nearby, Karna had taken refuge at the sacred Uma Devi Temple. A narrow path behind this temple, past a massive peepal tree, leads down to the riverbank. It is said that on this very shore, in some forgotten age of the Dvapara Yuga, Karna once performed a grand yajna with his friend Ashwatthama. Vyasa himself was present, along with sages of the Vedas and Upanishads—Vashistha, Bharadwaj, Gautama, Kashyapa, Bhrigu, Vamadeva. Narada too joined the worship of Surya. Moved by his son’s devotion, the Sun God granted Karna the imperishable armour and earrings—the akshaya kavach, an impenetrable armour and akshaya kundal, the indestructible earrings. Later, on the eve of the Kurukshetra war, Karna gave them up. After Karna’s death, Narayana himself consigned his ashes to the waters of the Pindar. The Alakananda, having washed the feet of Badrivishal, comes to meet it here.

About 35 km downstream from Karnprayag, we arrive at Rudraprayag. It has perhaps been immortalised by Jim Corbett’s timeless classic, “The Man-Eating Leopard of Rudraprayag”. Here, at our fourth prayag, Mandakini joins the River Alakananda.

Rudraprayag: The Geography 

The Mandakini is one of Garhwal’s most sacred rivers. Rising from the Chorabari Glacier near Kedarnath, it begins its journey through a wide, open valley before squeezing into steep, dramatic gorges. 

Along its path lie villages steeped in legend, such as Triyuginarayan and Sonprayag. For centuries, pilgrims have followed the Mandakini upstream to Kedarnath, home to the first of the Panch Kedar temples.

At the sangam, the crystal-blue waters of the Mandakini meet the silt-laden Alakananda. Here, the colour of Alakananda almost resembles the paste of soft sandalwood.

Mandakini, narrow and serene, contrasts sharply with the wide, turbulent flow of the Alakananda.

Together, they merge into the Alakananda and wind through narrow valleys to Devprayag—the final confluence of our Panch Prayag.

Rudraprayag: The History and Mythology

There are 41 steps that lead to the sangam ghat at Rudraprayag. They were built by Raybahadur Hajarimal on the request of Swami Sacchidananda, a blind ascetic.

On the other side from the sangam, steep stairs lead up to the Rudranath Temple and then onwards past the Annapurna Devi Temple.

It was Swami Sacchidananda again, who worked tirelessly to renovate the Rudranath Temple and built the first hospital, ayurvedic clinics and even an Intermediate College at Rudraprayag.

His name is now inseperable from the story of Rudraprayag but here’s the story of how the sangam gets its name in the first place.

Narada arrived at the sacred confluence of the Mandakini and the Alakananda and undertook a fierce penance to please Shiva and master His divine music. For a hundred years, Narada stood unmoving on a single foot, immersed in meditation, invoking Shiva through silence and devotion. At last, pleased by his unwavering resolve, Shiva appeared before him and offered a boon. Narada requested to be made a master of music. Shiva looked at the divine sage and asked what need he had for music. When Narada said that he wished to dispel the suffering of devlok, Shiva smiled and explained that there was no suffering there. It was a realm of eternal bliss, where there was no disease, no old age, no death, and no sorrow. He asked where suffering could exist in such a world. Narada bowed and stated that it was permanent bliss itself that became the cause of suffering.Struck by the depth of this truth, Shiva was deeply pleased. He assumed the fierce and radiant form of Rudra and summoned the six great ragas, along with their six wives—the raginis—and their eight sons. As they appeared, music poured into the valley. The mountains echoed, the rivers rippled, and the sangam of the Mandakini and the Alakananda came to be known as Rudraprayag.

Flowing uninterrupted for 66 kms downstream from Rudraprayag, Alakananda arrives at Devprayag. Here, she meets the Bhagirathi and River Ganga is formed.

Devprayag: The Geography 

The Bhagirathi is one of Garhwal’s most revered rivers. Rising from the Gangotri Glacier, it flows through a rugged landscape dotted with villages such as Harsil, Gangnani, and Uttarkashi, carrying centuries of legend and devotion along its path.

At Devprayag, the Bhagirathi meets the Alakananda in a spectacular confluence. The Bhagirathi, narrower and swifter, crashes into the wider, more silt-laden Alakananda. Here, both Alakananda and Bhagirathi lose their independent identities. Their waters swirl and merge, forming the mighty Ganga, which then begins its long journey across the plains of India. 

And to think, both rivers rise from opposite slopes of the same Chaukhamba massif—Bhagirathi from the Gangotri Glacier on its Northern Slopes and Alakananda from the Satopanth Glacier on its Eastern Slopes—only to travel so far and meet here at Devprayag.

Devprayag: The History and Mythology

The Bhagirathi side of Devprayag is called the Vashishth Kund, while the Alakananda side is called Brahmakund. There are numerous stories and folklore attached to them. But beyond the rivers and the sangam, there are two other important aspects that make Devprayag an incredibly important cultural center. 

First, is the Raghunath Kirti University. Not many know, but it is Garhwal’s oldest educational center. In 1953, Nanjivai Mehta –– the sheth of Porbandar –– contributed handsomely to build the students’ hostel for this campus.

Second, is the famous Raghunathji Mandir. Situated at the end of almost 100 vertical steps from the prayag, it was once owned by the Rajah of Tehri. The beautiful carvings on its walls are an interesting mix of Buddhist and South-Indian sculpture. During the floods of 1894, water levels rose more than 70 ft above usual, flooding settlements, markets and many small temples. Locals believe that the floods subsided the moment water reached the feet of Raghunathji in His temple.

But floods or not, Devprayag has always been a notorious confluence. The sangam ghat at Devprayag was one of the most dangerous among the five prayags. Accidents and deaths had become a norm. Things changed in 1941 when Nanjivai Mehta of Porbandar built a three-tiered pucca ghat.

Till this day, pilgrims continue to use these steps to access the sangam and witness upclose, the birth of River Ganga.

Here’s the story behind why Ganga is considered complete only after Devprayag.

In mythology, Ganga is said to be born from sixteen streams, each emerging from the sacred knots of Shiva’s hair. When Raja Bhagirath undertook his mission to guide these streams to the mortal world, fifteen of them followed him faithfully. But the sixteenth stream was playful. It wandered off, frolicking toward Alakapuri to meet Badrinarayan. At Alakapuri, the mischievous stream was captured and locked away by Kuber. Meanwhile, when Bhagirath reached Devprayag, the gods and goddesses had already gathered to witness the arrival of Ganga. But as they stepped into the waters, they immediately sensed something was amiss—the flow was incomplete.

King Bhagirath called for a war against Kuber. The heavens intervened, sending Kuber’s own parents to reason with their son. Finally, Kuber relented, and the sixteenth stream was set free. It rushed past Badrinath as the Alakananda and joined the other streams at Devprayag.

The sixteen streams were reunited. Ganga was born.

Motor roads have now spread deep into the high Himalayas.

The practical importance of the panch prayag has faded. So, our collective memories of their importance have grown weak. When that happens and places slowly lose their meanings, we lose touch with the land we belong to. 

The panch prayag have shaped life and culture in the Garhwal Himalayas over ages.

It is easy to forget. But sometimes, it is worth remembering.

Do you know of any story around these prayagas that we missed out on telling ? Write to us at [email protected] and we'll add them to this story.

Acknowledgement: A lot of the history and stories of the prayags, referred to in the article, have been sourced from the book "Panch Prayag" by famous Bengali traveller and chronicler, Shanku Maharaj.