Patalpuri Temple

Beneath the massive walls of the Allahabad Fort, close to the Sangam where the Ganga and Yamuna meet, lies Patalpuri, one of India’s rarest temples: an ancient underground shrine sheltering the Akshayavat, the indestructible banyan.

History of the Temple

Patalpuri is mentioned by pilgrims and travellers across many centuries, including the Chinese monk Xuanzang in the seventh century. When the fort was built above it in the Mughal era, the temple survived below, and pilgrims have descended its steps ever since.

Significance of the Temple

Scripture calls the Akshayavat imperishable: when the floodwaters of pralaya dissolve the world, this tree alone remains, and upon its leaf the infant Krishna floats. To touch its ancient trunk at the heart of Prayag, the king of tirthas, is considered a completion of the Sangam pilgrimage. The underground corridor holds shrines of many devas gathered in the earth’s quiet.

What to Experience

The descent

Steps lead from daylight into the cool underground hall, a passage that feels like entering another yuga.

Sangam nearby

Combine darshan with a boat ride to the confluence, especially during Magh Mela and Kumbh.