Around 18 lakh pilgrims from different parts of the country, and neighbouring Bangladesh and Nepal took holy dip at the confluence of the sacred Ganga and the Bay of Bengal here on the occasion of Makar Sankranti on Wednesday. Over 30 lakh people have gathered here for the pilgrimage, breaking all previous records, a senior official of the state government said.
“Till 8 am, around 18 lakh people have taken dips in the holy waters. Several lakhs are waiting,” he said. Every year on Makar Sankranti, lakhs of Hindus flock the Sagar Island in West Bengal’s South 24 Parganas district to take the holy dip and offer prayers at the Kapil Muni temple.
“Last year, we had a record number of 20 lakh pilgrims visiting the island. This year, that record has been broken as we have witnessed over 30 lakh pilgrims arriving. It was peaceful and the pilgrims have also appreciated our arrangements,” the official said.
Security has been beefed up in the island, around 100 km from Kolkata, and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is monitoring the situation, officials said.
Post Your Comments