Gangasagar

Gangasagar, also known as Sagardwip, is a Hindu pilgrimage site located on Sagar Island in the Hooghly district of West Bengal, India. It lies at the southern tip of the island where the Ganges (Ganga) is believed to meet the Bay of Bengal, within the Sundarbans delta.

The site centers on the Kapil Muni Temple and the associated lore of the sage Kapil Muni. Pilgrims visit to bathe at the confluence of river and sea, where the Ganges is thought to purify sins and aid spiritual progress. The place is a focus of reverence for many Hindus, and the site is associated with long-standing rituals and prayers conducted at the ghat and surrounding shrines.

Gangasagar is best known for the Gangasagar Mela, an annual pilgrimage held on Makar Sankranti in January. In peak years, millions of pilgrims travel to Sagardwip to take ritual baths, participate in prayers, and witness ceremonial processions and offerings. The event requires substantial crowd management and safety arrangements from state authorities.

Access to Gangasagar is by road and sea. Visitors typically travel from Kolkata to Namkhana or Kakdwip on the mainland and then cross to Sagardwip by ferry. The island forms part of the larger Sundarbans coastal ecosystem, and the area features typical deltaic geography with mangrove habitats and tidal channels.

Economically, the mela and associated pilgrim traffic support local services, including transport, lodging, and vendors, making Gangasagar an important religious tourism center in eastern India.