cane-furniture

The city of Prayagraj is renowned for its beautiful cane furniture. From cane woven sofas to chairs, there's a lot on offer. The process of making the cane and bamboo furniture is an intricate one and involves multiple stages. First, the long bamboo sticks are cut into the required size. Then, they are soaked in water for a couple of hours so they can absorb moisture. After this, the sticks are heated on a kerosene lamp and bent to the desired shape with a wooden tool called mungri. The other parts of the furniture are made the same way and then bound tightly with thin strips of cane. After the ends of the articles are nailed, the frame is made and polished with sandpaper.

The cane is also immersed in water until it absorbs moisture. Then, it is cut into required sizes and woven around a bamboo frame. Simple motifs are created on the cane to make the article more attractive.

cane-furniture

jhusi

Around 7 km from Prayagraj is Jhusi, which is famous for a number of temples and ashrams.

jhusi

muir-college

An excellent confluence of Indian and Gothic architectural elements can be witnessed in Muir College. Designed by British architect William Emerson, the quadrangle arcade is dominated by a 200-ft-high minaret tower, marble and mosaic floors and domes clad in Multan-glazed tiles. The college is, undoubtedly, one of the most impressive buildings in the city.

muir-college

mayo memorial

Located near Myne Memorial and Thorn Hill, Mayo Memorial Hall’s interiors were ornamented by the designs and drawings of Professor Gamble of London’s South Kensington Museum. The large hall with a 180-ft-high tower was completed in 1879 and was used for public meetings, balls and receptions.

mayo memorial

swaraj-bhawan

A prominent museum in the city, Swaraj Bhawan is adorned with scores of photographs of the Nehru family. It once belonged to Moti Lal Nehru, the father of Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of Independent India. Moti Lal Nehru had bought it as a dilapidated building for INR 19,000 and then turned it into a palatial residence.

He donated the house to the country in 1930. Swaraj Bhawan was earlier the headquarters of the Congress and is also the birthplace of the former Prime Minister of the country, Indira Gandhi. While touring the museum, visitors can see the high-ceilinged rooms where several historical meetings were held and campaigns were planned. You can also see the choicest furniture that Nehru used. From Persian tapestries to Venetian glassware, the house is a picture of opulence.

swaraj-bhawan

saraswati-ghat

One of the holiest ghats (stepped banks of a river) in Prayagraj, Saraswati Ghat lies near the Prayagraj Fort. It is noted for the Ganga arti (a holy fire ritual) that takes place everyday. The ghat looks spectacular at night when it is lit up by an array of diyas (earthen lamps), candles and lamps during the arti. The ritual is a worship ceremony of Goddess Ganga and draws thousands of devotees from far and wide. The arti is led by saffron-clad priests who perform the ritual with multi-tiered lamps. You can also take a boat ride from here and go to the sangam.

saraswati-ghat