Come to the Prayag Ghat, the ‘Tirtharaj’ (King of pilgrimage sites) in Kashi, which is believed to has the power and benefits to be exactly the same that held by the Prayagraj (Allahabad) situated on the ‘sangam’ (confluence) of the Ganga, Yamuna and mythological Saraswati rivers.
Prayag ghat is one of the pilgrimage sites on the bank of holy Ganga overflowing with devotees that come to offer their prayers day and night. According to a reference in Kashi Khand, Lord Vishnu is present in 18 forms in Kashi, and Prayag Madhav is one of them. Worshipping Prayag Madhav is believed to be the cleansing of all the sins of the devotees after taking a holy dip in Prayag Teerth.
The Prayag Ghat, which replicates the holy Prayagraj (Allahabad), is situated between the two parts of historic Dashashwamedh Ghat. The Prayag Temple at the Prayag Ghat is not in use, though its terrace is used by the visitors to watch the Ganga Aarti. Next to the Prayag temple is the shrine of Shultankeshwara, a huge linga of Lord Shiva.
Prayag Ghat was built by a queen of Puthia of Bengal (now in Bangladesh) Maharani Hemanta Kumari Debi of Bengal in the 19th century. She was the last queen and Zaminadar of Puthia Raj family based in Rajshahi district currently in Bangladesh.
Born in 1869 at Dhulla village of Manikganj district of Bangladesh, she was married to the Jatindra Narayan, the head of the Puthia Raj family in 1880. Her husband died when she was 14 years old in 1883. After the death of her husband she became the administrator of the Puthia Estate and head of the Puthia Raj family in 1887. The estate prospered under her management and she gained a reputation as an able administrator. She established Hemanta Kumari Boarding, Maharani Hemantakumari Sanskrit College, and Maharani Hemanta Kumari Water Works in Rajshahi city. She was awarded the title Rani in 1901 and the title Maharani in 1937. She died in 1942.
(Courtesy: Me Kashi)
