Gangasagar Mela
Gangasagar Mela is a religious fair every year at Gangasagar, West Bengal, India. It is held on Makar Sankranti, a festival that marks the sun’s transition into the zodiac sign of Capricorn. Millions of pilgrims visit Gangasagar to take a holy dip in the confluence of the Ganges and the Bay of Bengal, and to worship at the temple of Kapil Muni, a sage who is believed to have attained enlightenment at this place. Gangasagar Mela is considered to be the second largest Hindu fair after Kumbh Mela.
Some of the features of Gangasagar Mela are:
- It has a mythological, social, and astrological significance, as it is associated with the legend of King Bhagirath, who brought the Ganges to earth to liberate his ancestors from their sins. It is also a time of thanksgiving and celebration for the harvest season and the new year.
- It attracts people from different states of India and abroad, who come to seek blessings and salvation from the sacred waters and the sage. In 2023, about 51 lakh pilgrims gathered in the mela.
- It is supported by the Government of West Bengal, which provides various facilities and arrangements for the smooth conduct of the mela, such as transportation, accommodation, security, health, sanitation, etc.
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- It also offers online services, such as E-snan and E-puja, for those who cannot visit Gangasagar physically. E-snan is a service that delivers a sacred pack containing Ganga water, soil, prasad, and a booklet to the devotees. E-puja is a service that allows the devotees to book a puja with their name and gotra, and receive a prasad and a flower as a blessing from Kapil Muni.
If you are interested in learning more about Gangasagar Mela, you can visit the official website or read some of the articles from the web search results. I hope you found this information helpful and interesting. 😊
