Gangasagar Mela
gangasagar mela bengali গঙ্গাসাগর মেলা mela festival hinduism held every year gangasagar west bengal india confluence ganges bay bengal called gangasagar fair held every year makar sankranti kapilmunis ashram located gangasagar mela celebrated january every year gangasagar mela second largest hindu fair kumbh mela many people different state india come every year take holy bath makar sankranti day state minister aroop biswas said lakh devotee gathered mela gangasagar mentioned mahabharata vana parva provides proof existence pilgrimage site – bc according mahabharata pandavas traveled bank river kaushik reached gangesagarasangam confluence ganges sagara sea according hinduism gangasagarasangam mentioned mahabharata gangasagar sagardwip situated estuary bhagirathihooghly river – one two main branch ganges– sea coast west bengal legend kapilmuni progenitor samkhya philosophy ashram gangasagara sixty thousand son sagara king consumed kapilmunis wrath ātmans soul thrown naraka hell bhagiratha grandson sagara king brought ganga svarga heaven wash remains sagaras son free ātmans soul gangasagar pilgrimage also mentioned raghuvaṃśa sanskrit epic poem written great poet kalidasa fifth century ad disagreement exact age kapil munis ashram temple kapil muni mentioned th century ancient puthi tirthaattvapradayini bengali তীর্থতত্ত্বপ্রদায়িনী article gangasagar mela printed february popular bengali newspaper harkara bengali হরকরা written one temple place sagar dwip known people year temple established siddhapurusha named kapil muni also king devapala pala dynasty mention inscription performed ritual confluence gangasagar medieval time pilgrim every corner subcontinent defied many obstacle danger reach gangasagar makar sankranti perilous journey pilgrim faced disease like cholera small pox due danger death faced pilgrim phrase originated — saba tīrtha bāra bāra gaṅgāsāgara ēkabāra kapalkundala bengali novel written bankim chandra chattopadhyay depicts perilous journey reach gangasagar ad man named wilson mention temple kapilmuni district gazetteer according person writing kapilmunis temple temporary structure surrounded bamboo fence front temple huge banyan tree murtis idol rama hanuman gangasagar mela mentioned bhāratēra tīrthayātrā en india pilgrimage shri madhavachandra varman published baṅgābda text mention three day bathing gangasagar makara sankranti poush magh month fair last five day india independence pilgrimage site began flourish picture temple published bengali book gangasagar mela pracina aitihya tarundev bhattacharya according text permanent temple emerged form mature temple government west bengal assisted construction permanent temple following decade number pilgrim fair increased present million people congregate every year auspicious day makara sankranti poushsankranti midjanuary month poush celebrate gangasagar fair pilgrimage site pilgrim took holy dip ganges hooghly meet bay bengal occasion makar sankranti almost fivehundred thousand pilgrim thronged gangasagar rest year people come island according report january million people visited gangasagar million lakh pilgrim gathered gangasagar mela gangasagar mela organized occasion holy dip makar sankranti usually january makar sankranti set solar cycle corresponds exact time astronomical event sun entering capricorn observed day usually fall january gregorian calendar january leap year makar sankrantis date time analogous sidereal time zodiac sign capricorn sun enters holy dip started january pm ended january pm gangasagar mela held gangasagar sagar dwip place belongs south parganas district west bengal mela organized around kapil munis ashram site mela bank confluence ganges bay bengal pilgrim different state india arrive occasion ganga bath gangasagar mela pilgrim first arrive kolkata visit gangasagar transit camp established kolkata every year convenience pilgrim kind civic facility provided camp biggest obstacle reaching sagar dwip muri ganga river pilgrim cross river journey however due low navigability river possible cross river without tide every year dredging carried river uninterrupted ferry operation ferry service operated kakdwip kachuberia sagar dwip occasion fair ganga bath several temporary jetty constructed faster pilgrim transport vessel bus monitored central control room gps navic navigation indian constellation technology used transport vehicle sagar dwip surveillance vessel also provided navigation light prevent visibility problem due fog day ganga bathing hindu devotee gather early morning take holy dip ganges river offer offering lord surya chant lord surya mantra completing ritual people worship kapil muni light pradeep diya desi ghee also perform yajna homa day ganga bathing devotee even observe strict fast gangasana day auspicious day ganga bathing devotee express gratitude goddess ganga seek forgiveness misdeed knowingly unknowingly district administration south parganas handed special certificate pilgrim came gangasagar mela apart photo phone number pilgrim certificate also contain greeting message state government basu rajshekhar মহাভারত bengali kolkata mcr sarkar son isbn ghosh binoy january পশ্চিমবঙ্গের সংস্কৃতি bengali vol rd kolkata deep publishing isbn ivermee robert hooghly global history river st ed noida uttar pradesh india harpercollins isbn official website