Archive · 6 Sep 2026
Allahabad Memories Fade Amid Modernity’s Faster, Cleaner City
The author remembers growing up in Allahabad, which is now called Prayagraj.
In those days, people traveled in noisy cycle rickshaws and took exciting boat rides on the rivers.
Neighbors met on verandas, and small paan shops acted like community gathering places.
Children enjoyed colorful street foods, shaved ice and cotton candy.
The city was also famous for its sweet guavas.
People used to rest together during a long afternoon siesta.
Many of these traditions have been replaced by apartments, online shopping, e-rickshaws and modern cafes.
The author thinks progress has brought convenience but misses the lively chaos of the old city.
The author recalls cycle rickshaws, boat rides, verandas, paan stalls, wall advertisements and afternoon siestas as defining parts of childhood in Allahabad.
Manual cycle rickshaws and neighborhood paan shacks have largely been replaced by e-rickshaws and modern convenience stores.
Traditional street foods and treats, including samosas, barf ka gola and budhiya ke baal, now compete with cafes, food trucks and artisanal desserts.
The city’s famous guavas, including Allahabadi Safeda and Lal Surkha, remain powerful symbols of local identity.
The author says modernization has made the city cleaner, faster and more efficient while reducing its former spontaneity and community life.
- Who
- A retired Indian Foreign Service officer reflecting on childhood in Allahabad.
- What
- A nostalgic account of customs, foods, transport and neighborhood life that the author says have faded with modernization.
- When
- The author’s childhood in the mid-20th century and the present day.
- Where
- Allahabad, now officially called Prayagraj, including its streets, ghats, markets and neighborhoods.
- Why
- The author is comparing the slower, communal city of the past with today’s cleaner, faster and more efficient urban life.
Modernization’s Benefits
Losses of Tradition
Urban transportation
Modernization’s Benefits
E-rickshaws are described as efficient and clean.
Losses of Tradition
Their quiet, predictable operation lacks the drama and personal character of manual rickshaw rides.
Food and shopping
Modernization’s Benefits
Food trucks, cafes and app-based grocery delivery offer modern convenience and more standardized service.
Losses of Tradition
They have replaced bargaining, neighborhood relationships and the rougher pleasures of traditional street food.
City life
Modernization’s Benefits
The modern city is portrayed as cleaner, faster and more efficient.
Losses of Tradition
Apartments, privacy and continuous work have reduced verandah conversations, community interaction and the shared afternoon siesta.
- Current city name
- Allahabad is now called Prayagraj.
- Remembered transportation
- Cycle rickshaws were once a central part of everyday travel; e-rickshaws now dominate the streets described.
- Rivers and landmark
- The author recalls boat rides on the Ganges and Yamuna, including visits to the Sangam.
- Local reputation
- Allahabad was popularly described as the “Oxford of the East.”
- Signature fruits
- The author highlights Allahabadi Safeda and Lal Surkha guavas.
- Former siesta hours
- The city traditionally slowed down between approximately 1:30 PM and 4:30 PM.