New Delhi, Oct 14: Yogi Adityanath might rename Allahabad as Prayagraj before next year's Kumbh Mela. Adityanath on Saturday said that if a broad consensus is achieved, 'Allahabad will be renamed as Prayagraj.'
"It might be the wish of many people that Allahabad can be renamed as Prayagraj. I think that it will give a very good message. If everyone agrees, we should know this city as Prayag Raj and it can be a good start," Yogi said.
According to some media reports, the banners for the upcoming Kumbh Mela in 2019 mention the name of the city as Prayagraj instead of Allahabad, ANI reported.
Allahabad's ancient name was Prayag but was changed after 16th-century Mughal emperor Akbar founded a fort near the confluence of the Ganga and the Yamuna, known as Sangam.
Kumbh Mela will begin in Allahabad on January 15, 2019. Around ₹2,500 crore has been earmarked by the state government for the Ardh Kumbh 2019, double the amount of money which was spent on the last Kumbh held in 2013.
Earlier in July this year, Siddharth Nath Singh had also written a letter to UP Governor Ram Naik suggesting to change the name of the city Allahabad to Prayag Raj. Demanding to change the name of Allahabad to Prayag Raj, Siddharth Nath Singh had told media that Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik had helped Bombay to be renamed as Mumbai earlier and now he has penned a request him to consider the renaming Allahabad as Prayag.