Gangasagar Mela
Statusactive
GenreFair, Religious gathering
FrequencyEvery years
VenueConfluence of the Ganges and the Bay of Bengal
Location(s)Gangasagar, West Bengal
Coordinates21°38′12″N 88°03′19″E / 21.6367562°N 88.0554125°E / 21.6367562; 88.0554125
CountryIndia
Previous event2023
Next event2024
ParticipantsPilgrims
SponsorGovernment of West Bengal[1]
Websitegangasagar.in

Gangasagar Mela (Bengali: গঙ্গাসাগর মেলা) is a mela and festival in Hinduism, held every year at Gangasagar, West Bengal, India.[2] The confluence of the Ganges and the Bay of Bengal is called the Gangasagar, the fair is held every year on Makar Sankranti at Kapilmuni's ashram located on the Gangasagar. The mela is celebrated on 14 or 15 January every year.[2]

Gangasagar Mela is the second largest Hindu fair (after Kumbh Mela). Many people from different states of India come here every year to take a holy bath on Makar Sankranti day.[3]

In 2023, State minister Aroop Biswas said about 51 lakhs devotees gathered in the mela.[4][5]

History

The Gangasagar is mentioned in the Mahabharata's Vana Parva pilgrimage. Also, King Devapala of the Pala dynasty mentions in an inscription that he performed rituals at the confluence of the Gangasagar.[6]

A photo (c. 1909) by Ada Lee. It shows a Hindu pilgrim gathering at a Gangasagar Mela at Ganga Sagar, West Bengal – where river Ganges meets the Bay of Bengal.

There is disagreement over the exact age of Kapil Muni's ashram. The temple of Kapil Muni is mentioned in the 16th century ancient Puthi Tirthaattvapradayini (Bengali: তীর্থতত্ত্বপ্রদায়িনী). An article about the Gangasagar Mela was printed on February 4, 1837, in the once popular Bengali newspaper Harkara (Bengali: হরকরা). It is written, "The one temple in this place (Sagar Dwip) has been known to people for 1400 years. In this temple there is established a Siddhapurusha named Kapil Muni.[6][3]

pilgrims

In 2007, about 300,000 pilgrims took the holy dip where the Ganges (Hooghly) meets the Bay of Bengal on the occasion of Makar Sankranti. Almost five-hundred thousand pilgrims thronged Gangasagar in 2008.[7] For the rest of the year about 500,000 people come to the island.[8] According to reports on 14 January 2018, 18-2 million people had visited Gangasagar in 2018, against 1.5 million in 2017.[9] In 2023, about 51 lakhs pilgrims gathered in the Gangasagar Mela.[4][5]

Dates, location, preparation and Rituals

Dates

The Gangasagar Mela is organized on the occasion of the holy dip on Makar Sankranti,[10][11] usually on January 14 or 15. Makar Sankranti is set by the solar cycle and corresponds to the exact time astronomical event of the Sun entering Capricorn and is observed on a day that usually falls on 14 January of the Gregorian calendar, but on 15 January in leap years. Makar Sankranti's date and time is analogous to Sidereal time of Zodiac sign of Capricorn (when sun enters).[12]

In 2023, holy dip started on January 14, 6:30 PM and ended on January 15, 6:53 PM.[13]

Location

Kapil Muni Temple during the Gangasagar Mela in 2019.

Gangasagar Mela is held at Gangasagar, Sagar Dwip.[11] The place belongs to South 24 Parganas district, West Bengal. The Mela is organized around Kapil Muni's ashram.[14] The site of the Mela is on the banks of the confluence of the Ganges and the Bay of Bengal.[14][11]

Rituals

On the day of Ganga Bathing, Hindu devotees gather early in the morning and take a holy dip in the Ganges River. They offer offerings to Lord Surya and chant Lord Surya Mantra.[15]

After completing the rituals, people worship Kapil Muni and light a pradeep (Diya) with desi ghee. Some also perform Yajna and Homa on the day of Ganga bathing. Some devotees even observe a strict fast on Gangasana days. On this auspicious day of Ganga bathing, devotees express their gratitude to Goddess Ganga and seek forgiveness for their misdeeds knowingly or unknowingly.[15]

Special Certificate

The District Administration of South 24 Parganas handed over special certificates to all the pilgrims who came to Gangasagar Mela.[16] Apart from the photo and phone number of the pilgrims, the certificates also contain a greeting message from the state government.[16]

References

  1. ↑ "Centre doesn't spend a single penny on Gangasagar Mela, claims Mamata Banerjee". www.hindustantimes.com. Archived from the original on 30 March 2023. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  2. 1 2 "Ganga Sagar Mela". holidify. Archived from the original on 1 April 2023. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  3. 1 2 Ivermee 2021, pp. 194–195.
  4. 1 2 "কুম্ভের রূপ পেল বাংলার গঙ্গাসাগর, সংখ্যায় নজির গড়ল মকরের 'শাহী' ডুব". Anandabazar (in Bengali). Kolkata. 16 January 2023. Archived from the original on 29 March 2023. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  5. 1 2 "আজ গঙ্গাসাগরে পুণ্যস্নান, সন্ধ্যার মকরস্নানে কি সর্বকালের রেকর্ড ভাঙবে?‌". bangla.hindustantimes.com (in Bengali). Kolkata. Archived from the original on 29 March 2023. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  6. 1 2 "আশ্রমকে কেন্দ্র করেই পূণ্যস্নান! জানুন কপিল মুনির কাহিনী". bangla.aajtak.in (in Bengali). Archived from the original on 29 March 2023. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  7. ↑ "Dip, deaths mark Sagar mela finale". The Statesman. 16 January 2008. Archived from the original on 24 May 2013. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  8. ↑ Chattopdhyay, Debashis (15 January 2007). "Bridge plea for Sagar tourism". The Telegraph. Calcutta, India. Archived from the original on 28 January 2007.
  9. ↑ "West Bengal: On Makar Sankranti 2018, Ganga Sagar Mela witnesses record crowds". Home>>India. DNA, 14 January 2018. 14 January 2018. Archived from the original on 30 March 2023. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  10. ↑ "Gangasagar Mela: Devotees, seers take holy dip in Ganges on Makar Sankranti". www.business-standard.com. Archived from the original on 30 March 2023. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  11. 1 2 3 Ivermee 2021, p. 194.
  12. ↑ "sun enters Capricorn zodiac". Archived from the original on 28 October 2021. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  13. ↑ "গঙ্গাসাগর মেলার উদ্বোধন". Anandabazar. Kolkata. Archived from the original on 29 March 2023. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  14. 1 2 "কপিল মুনির আশ্রমকে ঘিরেই গঙ্গাসাগরের মহামিলন মেলা, কী মাহাত্ম্য তাঁর?". www.sangbadpratidin.in (in Bengali). Archived from the original on 30 March 2023. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  15. 1 2 "Gangasagar Mela 2023: Date, Place, Story, Rituals and Significance". timesofindia.indiatimes.com. Archived from the original on 30 March 2023. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  16. 1 2 "গঙ্গাসাগরে এলেই মিলবে সচিত্র শংসাপত্র, পুণ্যার্থীদের জন্য বিশেষ উদ্যোগ রাজ্য সরকারের". Anandabazar (in Bengali). Kolkata. 24 December 2022. Archived from the original on 29 March 2023. Retrieved 29 March 2023.

Bibliography

  • Ivermee, Robert (2021). Hooghly: The Global History of a River (1st ed.). Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India: HarperCollins. ISBN 978-93-5422-314-3.
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