The Annual Ganga Sagar Mela Dampened By Rising Sea And Erosion

At the southern tip of West Bengal, where the river Ganga meets the Bay of Bengal, lies Sagar Island. Every year, on the day of Makar Sankranti, pilgrims – commoners to ascetics – gather here for a holy dip in the confluence to wash away their sins and pay their respect to the presiding deity of Kapil Muni. The Ganga Sagar Mela attracts thousands of pilgrims, travellers, and photographers. Located about 135 km from Kolkata, Sagar Island gets taken over by throngs of people. However, the spirit of the festivities this year was not the same as the beach near the Kapil Muni temple, the centre of the mela, faces erosion due to the rising sea waters.