Devprayag
Situated at the confluence of the Alaknanda and the Bhagirathi, the town of Devaprayag lies at an altitude of 472 m on the metalled road running from Rishikesh to Badrinath and about 87 km from Narendra Nagar. Near the town there are two suspension bridges, one each on the Bhagirathi and the Alaknanda.
metalled road to Badrinath crosses the former by a third bridge. The town is the headquarters of the tahsil of the same name and is one of the Panch Prayag (confluences) of the Alaknanda.
Tradition has it that the town is named after Deosharma, a sage, who led a life of penance here and succeeded in having a glimpse of God.The great temple of Raghunathji is claimed to have been erected some ten thousand years ago and is built of massive uncemented stones. It stands upon a terrace in the upper part of the town and consists of an irregular pyramid capped by a white cupola with a golden ball and spire. Religious ablutions take place at 2 basins excavated in the rock at the junction of the holy streams - on the Bhagirathi known as the Brahm Kund and the other on the Alaknanda called the Vasisht Kund. The temple, along with the other Buildings of the town, was shattered by an earthquake in 1803 but the damage was subsequently repaired through the munificence of Daulat Rao Sindhia. The temple is visited by a large number of pilgrims every year.
The town is the seat of the pandas of the Badrinath Dham. Besides the temple of Raghunathji, there are in the town Baital Kund, Brahm Kund, Surya Kund and Vasisht Kund; the Indradyumna Tirth, Pushyamal Tirth, Varah Tirth; Pushpavatika; Baitalshila and Varahishila; the shrines of Bhairava, Bhushandi, Durga and Vishveshvara; and a temple dedicated to Bharata. A bath at Baithalshila is claimed to cure leprosy. Nearby is the Dasharathachal Peak, containing a rock, known as Dashrathshila, on which Raja Dasharath is said to have led a life of penance. A small stream, the Shanta, running down from the Dasharathachal, is named after Shanta, the daughter of Raja Dasharath and is considered to be sacred.
Raghunath Temple
The Raghunath Temple, dedicated to Ram, an incarnation of Vishnu, is situated at the prayag of the Alaknanda and Bhagirathi Rivers.
Named after Raja Devsharma of Maharashtra, Dev Prayag has a number of temples including a Devi Temple with a resonating bell. The sculptures on the walls display both Buddhist and South Indian influences. The presiding deities of the temple are Raghunath, Janki, and Lakshman. One quaint custom here is that all the pujas are conducted by Telgu speaking priests, descendants of centuries-old settlers. It is about 71 Km from Rishikesh.
There is a postoffice, a public call office, a police outpost, a dak bungalow of the public works department and a hospital.
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