Essay on “Gangasagar Mela” Festival
The island of Gangasagar is located in the state of West Bengal. It is near the mouth of the Ganges, where it meets the Bay of Bengal. Every year people from every part of India throng here on Makar Sankranti day.
Gangasagar is actually a cluster of 51 islands covering 581 sq km of land and belongs to the Sundarbans at a distance of 128 km from Kolkata. The southern sea-face of the island is the site of the Gangasagar Mela. It is marked by unbounded enthusiasm for a bath in the ‘Sangam’, i.e. confluence of the river and sea. The mela lasts for three days and it reaches its high noon on Makar Sankranti, the last day of the Bengali month Poush.
The island is dedicated to Sage Kapila and the mela organised surrounding the Kapil Muni Temple is looked after by the Government of West Bengal. The presence of a large section of saints and sages from all over India is an indispensable part of this festival.
