ALLAHABAD (Ar...414th, God Hind. abed, city, dwelling). The seat of the government of the North-West Provinces of British India (Map: India, 1) :3). It occupies the fork of the Ganges and duinna which forms the lowest extremity of the extensive region distinguished as the float), or the Country of Two Rivers, lying be tween those natural boundaries. its position at the confluence of the holy rivers, which has long made it a centre of superstitious reverence and worship, and a much frequented place of pilgrim age for the purposes of ablution, also rendered it a natural centre of commerce and civili zation, an advantage which has been fully appre ciated by the British Government. It commands the navigation both of the Gauges and of the Jumna. It is on the direct water route between Calcutta and the Upper Provinces, and is a main station on the Grand Trunk Road, and also on the East Indian Railway. Allahabad stands 72 miles west of Benares; is distant from Calcutta, by land, 496 miles; by water, SOS miles in the rainy season, 985 miles ill the dry season. From Delhi it is distant 386 miles, and from Bombay, by the Jabalpur branch of the East Indian Railway, 840 miles. The cotton, sugar, and indigo produce of the fertile district of Allahabad is brought in large quantities into the city, to be transported thence to Calcutta and elsewhere. Steamers sail to Calcutta and barges to Delhi.
In point of appearance, Allahabad is scarcely worthy of its character and renown. With the exception of a few ancient monuments of costly, elaborate, and tasteful workmanship, the native part of the city consists of mean houses and narrow streets. The most noteworthy buildings are the Jumma S[usjid. or the great mosque, and the Sultan laossor's caravansary—a fine clois tered quadrangle. The fort is of red stone, and is approached by a very handsome gate; it con tains the palace or residency, and the famous Asoka or Gada Pillar. the club of Bhin Sen, 240 B.C. Below the fort, built over "the undying banyan tree," is the subterranean Chali Saturn temple, which is said to communicate with Ben arcs by an underground passage, through which flows a third holy river, the Sereswati, visible only to the eye of faith, the dropping moisture on the rocky walls pointed out as the river scarcely justifying the presumption. Allahabad possesses a hospital, theatres, bazaars, etc., and the Muir Central College, the chief educational institution in the No•th-West Provinces. (See
the article INDIA.) As generally in the towns of India, the European quarter is vastly superior. Its nucleus appears to have been the native fort, which on the east and smith rises directly from the banks of both rivers, while toward the land its artificial defenses, of great strength in them selves, are not commanded from the neighborhood by any higher ground. This citadel, described by Heber as haying been at one time "a very noble castle." has lost much of its romance by having had its lofty towers pruned down to bastions and cavaliers. The Europeans of the garrison occupy well-constructed barracks. Beyond the fort arc the cantonments for the native troops. In con nection with these are numerous villas and bun galows, few other spots in India boasting such handsome buildings of this kind, which are ren dered still more attractive and agreeable by avenues of trees winding between them and con nectinp. them with the fort, the city. and several of the adjacent localities. Two boat bridges cross the Gauges, and the East Indian railway-bridge spans the Jumna at Allahabad. So many poor pilgrims throng the city, especially at the time of the great annual religious fair, that instead of Allahabad, the natives call it "Fakirabad," or the city of beggars. From the oetroi, professional and carriage taxes, rents and proceeds of the Hindu fair, a considerable municipal revenue accrues, which is expended on police, lighting, street sprinkling, water works, maintenance of parks, medical assistance, and charities. Allahabad was founded by Akbar in 1575, on the site of an ancient fort. From 1765 to 1801 it underwent three changes of rulers, finally coming under British domination. The mutiny of 1857 brought disaster to Allahabad. On the Gth of June of that year, the insurrection, which had begun at Meerut on the 10th of May, extended itself to Allahabad. Though the Euro peans held the fort, the mutineers were for some days undisputed masters of all beyond; and between tho ravages of the marauders and the fire of the garrison, the city became little better than a heap of blackened ruins. New buildings began to spring up as soon as order had been restored, and most of the city has been rebuilt since that date, with the exception of the few monuments of ancient native architecture de scribed above. Pop., 1891, 175,250; 1901, 175, 750.