Police
The ancient name of Allahabad (now Prayagraj) was:
Answer (Detailed Solution Below)View answer ▾Hide ▴
Answer: Option A — Prayag
Detailed Solution
Allahabad's ancient name was "Prayag", and in October 2018 the Uttar Pradesh government officially renamed the city "Prayagraj".
About the name:
"Prayag" means "place of sacrifice" (yajna). According to Hindu tradition, Lord Brahma performed the first sacrifice here after creating the world.
It is called "Tirtharaj" (the king of pilgrimage places).
In 1575, the Mughal Emperor Akbar founded a new city here and named it "Ilahabas" (or "Illahabad"), which later became "Allahabad".
About Prayagraj:
It is located at the Triveni Sangam, the confluence of the Ganga, the Yamuna and the mythical (invisible) Saraswati rivers.
It hosts the Kumbh Mela every 12 years and the Ardh Kumbh every 6 years. The Magh Mela is held every year.
The Maha Kumbh of 2025 (January-February 2025) was one of the largest gatherings of people in human history.
The Allahabad Fort was built by Akbar in 1583 at the confluence.
The Allahabad Pillar, inside the fort, has an inscription of the Mauryan emperor Ashoka and the "Prayag Prashasti" of the Gupta emperor Samudragupta, composed by his court poet Harisena.
The Allahabad High Court (1866) is one of the oldest high courts in India.
Anand Bhawan and Swaraj Bhawan were the homes of the Nehru family; they are now museums.
The city is associated with many freedom fighters, including Chandrashekhar Azad, who died fighting the police at the Alfred Park (now Chandrashekhar Azad Park) in 1931.
Ancient names of other cities:
- Kashi (Banaras): Varanasi.
- Pataliputra: Patna.
- Saket: Ayodhya.
- Indraprastha: Delhi.
- Ujjayini (Avantika): Ujjain.
- Kanyakubja: Kannauj.
Other recent renamings:
Faizabad district: renamed Ayodhya (2018).
Mughalsarai Junction: renamed Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction (2018).
Gurgaon: renamed Gurugram (2016).
Why not the other options?
- ✗Kashi is the ancient name of Varanasi.
- ✗Pataliputra is the ancient name of Patna.
- ✗Saket is an ancient name of Ayodhya.
Quick tip
Remember: Allahabad = ancient Prayag (renamed Prayagraj in 2018; Triveni Sangam; Kumbh Mela; Akbar named it Ilahabas in 1575); Prayag Prashasti = Samudragupta, by Harisena; Pataliputra = Patna.
💬 Discussions on this question
Ask a doubt ›Still stuck on this question? Ask our faculty and fellow students — answers appear here.
Ask a doubtMore Indian States & Union Territories Questions
View all ›More General Knowledge Questions
- Q1.The techniques of Rasa and Bhava used in Indian classical dance trace their origin to which ancient text?Indian Dance Forms
- Q2.Lavani, Powada, Koli, Waghya Murali and Dhangari Gaja are folk dances of which state?Indian Dance Forms
- Q3.The one-act play associated with the Sattriya tradition of Assam is called:Indian Dance Forms
- Q4.Which dance form of Goa is known as the 'Warrior Dance'?Indian Dance Forms
- Q5.Manipuri dance is based on the Rasleela themes of:Indian Dance Forms
Indian States & Union Territories — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Indian States & Union Territories, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers state-wise GK for India: capitals, formation dates, high courts, state animals, birds and flowers, famous places, and the culture, dances and festivals that identify each state and union territory. Questions commonly ask about the newest state or union territory, the state formed on a particular date, the capitals of states, and which high court serves more than one state. Keep a single table per state with its capital, formation year and key facts. Reorganisations such as that of Jammu and Kashmir in 2019 change the answers, so make sure your notes are up to date. Practise the Indian states and union territories questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.