Pilgrim’s progress: Ganga aarti being held at Sagar island on Thursday, January 12, 2023. | Photo Credit: DEBASISH BHADURI
Lakhs of pilgrims are descending on Sagar Island, the southernmost tip of West Bengal, for the annual Gangasagar fair, held between January 12 and 14 to celebrate Makar Sankranti. New initiatives at the fair include a grand Gangasagar Aarti on the lines of Varanasi; 3-D replica of Banglar Temple, which represents five famous temples of the state; and certificate of participation for the pilgrims.
Every year during the festival, around three million people from all over India come to take a holy dip in Sagar, the largest island of the Sundarbans archipelago, where the Ganges River meets the Bay of Bengal. Since the island is not connected by land, elaborate arrangements are made for the pilgrimage including transport, tents, security and food.
This year, in a departure from the usual practice, the Gangasagar Aarti was held near Kapil Muni’s temple, where the river meets the sea. The program was started by the head of the temple Mahant Gyan Das by lighting the lamp. The organizers said that priests were brought in from Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh to perform the special aarti.
Sundarbans Affairs Minister Bankim Chandra Hazra and senior district officials were present in the program which lasted for over an hour. Thousands of people participated in the procession from the brightly lit temple to the confluence of the river and the sea. Hundreds of dancers also participated in the programme.
Gangasagar Mela 2023 has other new initiatives. The Banglar temple at Milan Khestra in the Sagar Mela grounds is a replica of the Kalighat, Dakshineswar, Tarapith, Tarakeshwar and Johura Kalibari temples in the state.
“A software generated certificate containing the photo of the pilgrims will be shared with the pilgrims as a special gesture from the West Bengal government,” said a district administration official. E-darshan has also been arranged so that people can participate in the event virtually.
To reach the place considered sacred, pilgrims have to travel about 100 km by road from Kolkata to take a seaplane to Sagar Island, from where another road journey takes place. The state administration has mobilized 2,100 civil defense volunteers, quick response teams, deep divers, navy divers, members of the National Disaster Response Force and the State Disaster Response Force, coast guards, as well as 10 temporary fire stations, along with a massive police presence. is ensured. 25 fire engines. Eight ministers of the West Bengal government have been deployed at several strategic places along the way.
Considering most of the pilgrims are from outside the state, the entire island is lined with signboards in Hindi and English. Announcement is also made in many languages in the fair ground.
The initiative comes at a time when preparations are underway to create infrastructure for Kolkata’s Ganga Aarti at Baje Kadamtala Ghat on the instructions of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. He said that the aarti of Kolkata would be similar to the aarti performed at the ghats of Varanasi.