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Hindus Take Holy Dip in Bengal Bay to Celebrate Gangasagar Mela

Published January 15th, 2020 - 06:46 GMT

The famous Ganga Sagar Mela is a 10-day long festival which is considered one of the biggest fairs in India.

The Ganga Sagar Mela is undertaking on the banks of Ganga at the Gangasagar or Sagardwip, in West Bengal, and it is being held this year between January 8 and January 18.

Every year on Makar Sakranti, hundreds of thousands of Hindus flock to Gangasagar to take a holy dip at the confluence of river Ganga and Bay of Bengal.

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A Hindu devotee performs a ritual before taking a holy dip in the Bay of Bengal during the Gangasagar Mela, at Sagar Island, around 150 kms south of Kolkata on January 13, 2020. XAVIER GALIANA / AFP

A Hindu devotee performs a ritual before taking a holy dip in the Bay of Bengal during the Gangasagar Mela, at Sagar Island, around 150 kms south of Kolkata on January 13, 2020. XAVIER GALIANA / AFP

A Hindu Sadhu (holy man) takes a holy dip in the Bay of Bengal during the Gangasagar Mela, at Sagar Island, some 150 kilometres south of Kolkata on January 14, 2020. XAVIER GALIANA / AFP

A Hindu Sadhu (holy man) takes a holy dip in the Bay of Bengal during the Gangasagar Mela, at Sagar Island, some 150 kilometres south of Kolkata on January 14, 2020. XAVIER GALIANA / AFP

A Hindu Sadhu (holy man) waits to offer blessings to devotees at a temporary camp during the Gangasagar Mela, at Sagar Island, around 150 kilometres south of Kolkata on January 14, 2020. Xavier GALIANA / AFP

A Hindu Sadhu (holy man) waits to offer blessings to devotees at a temporary camp during the Gangasagar Mela, at Sagar Island, around 150 kilometres south of Kolkata on January 14, 2020. Xavier GALIANA / AFP

A Hindu devotee walks towards the festival area during the Gangasagar Mela, at Sagar Island, some 150 kilometres south of Kolkata on January 14, 2020. XAVIER GALIANA / AFP

A Hindu devotee walks towards the festival area during the Gangasagar Mela, at Sagar Island, some 150 kilometres south of Kolkata on January 14, 2020. XAVIER GALIANA / AFP

A Sadhu (Hindu holy man) blesses a pilgrim during the Gangasagar Mela, at Sagar Island, some 150 kilometres south of Kolkata on January 14, 2020. XAVIER GALIANA / AFP

A Sadhu (Hindu holy man) blesses a pilgrim during the Gangasagar Mela, at Sagar Island, some 150 kilometres south of Kolkata on January 14, 2020. XAVIER GALIANA / AFP

Hindu devotees gather to take a holy dip in the Bay of Bengal during the Gangasagar Mela, at Sagar Island, some 150 kilometres south of Kolkata on January 14, 2020. XAVIER GALIANA / AFP

Hindu devotees gather to take a holy dip in the Bay of Bengal during the Gangasagar Mela, at Sagar Island, some 150 kilometres south of Kolkata on January 14, 2020. XAVIER GALIANA / AFP

A young Hindu devotee walks past a stall selling religious images during the Gangasagar Mela, at Sagar Island, some 150 kilometres south of Kolkata on January 14, 2020. XAVIER GALIANA / AFP

A young Hindu devotee walks past a stall selling religious images during the Gangasagar Mela, at Sagar Island, some 150 kilometres south of Kolkata on January 14, 2020. XAVIER GALIANA / AFP

A Hindu devotee takes a holy dip in the Bay of Bengal during the Gangasagar Mela, at Sagar Island, some 150 kilometres south of Kolkata on January 14, 2020. XAVIER GALIANA / AFP

A Hindu devotee takes a holy dip in the Bay of Bengal during the Gangasagar Mela, at Sagar Island, some 150 kilometres south of Kolkata on January 14, 2020. XAVIER GALIANA / AFP

A Hindu devotee takes a holy dip in the Bay of Bengal during the Gangasagar Mela, at Sagar Island, some 150 kilometres south of Kolkata on January 14, 2020. Xavier GALIANA / AFP

A Hindu devotee takes a holy dip in the Bay of Bengal during the Gangasagar Mela, at Sagar Island, some 150 kilometres south of Kolkata on January 14, 2020. Xavier GALIANA / AFP

A Hindu devotee performs a ritual before taking a holy dip in the Bay of Bengal during the Gangasagar Mela, at Sagar Island, around 150 kms south of Kolkata on January 13, 2020. XAVIER GALIANA / AFP
A Hindu Sadhu (holy man) takes a holy dip in the Bay of Bengal during the Gangasagar Mela, at Sagar Island, some 150 kilometres south of Kolkata on January 14, 2020. XAVIER GALIANA / AFP
A Hindu Sadhu (holy man) waits to offer blessings to devotees at a temporary camp during the Gangasagar Mela, at Sagar Island, around 150 kilometres south of Kolkata on January 14, 2020. Xavier GALIANA / AFP
A Hindu devotee walks towards the festival area during the Gangasagar Mela, at Sagar Island, some 150 kilometres south of Kolkata on January 14, 2020. XAVIER GALIANA / AFP
A Sadhu (Hindu holy man) blesses a pilgrim during the Gangasagar Mela, at Sagar Island, some 150 kilometres south of Kolkata on January 14, 2020. XAVIER GALIANA / AFP
Hindu devotees gather to take a holy dip in the Bay of Bengal during the Gangasagar Mela, at Sagar Island, some 150 kilometres south of Kolkata on January 14, 2020. XAVIER GALIANA / AFP
A young Hindu devotee walks past a stall selling religious images during the Gangasagar Mela, at Sagar Island, some 150 kilometres south of Kolkata on January 14, 2020. XAVIER GALIANA / AFP
A Hindu devotee takes a holy dip in the Bay of Bengal during the Gangasagar Mela, at Sagar Island, some 150 kilometres south of Kolkata on January 14, 2020. XAVIER GALIANA / AFP
A Hindu devotee takes a holy dip in the Bay of Bengal during the Gangasagar Mela, at Sagar Island, some 150 kilometres south of Kolkata on January 14, 2020. Xavier GALIANA / AFP
A Hindu devotee performs a ritual before taking a holy dip in the Bay of Bengal during the Gangasagar Mela, at Sagar Island, around 150 kms south of Kolkata on January 13, 2020. XAVIER GALIANA / AFP
A Hindu devotee performs a ritual before taking a holy dip in the Bay of Bengal during the Gangasagar Mela, at Sagar Island, around 150 kms south of Kolkata on January 13, 2020. XAVIER GALIANA / AFP
A Hindu Sadhu (holy man) takes a holy dip in the Bay of Bengal during the Gangasagar Mela, at Sagar Island, some 150 kilometres south of Kolkata on January 14, 2020. XAVIER GALIANA / AFP
A Hindu Sadhu (holy man) takes a holy dip in the Bay of Bengal during the Gangasagar Mela, at Sagar Island, some 150 kilometres south of Kolkata on January 14, 2020. XAVIER GALIANA / AFP
A Hindu Sadhu (holy man) waits to offer blessings to devotees at a temporary camp during the Gangasagar Mela, at Sagar Island, around 150 kilometres south of Kolkata on January 14, 2020. Xavier GALIANA / AFP
A Hindu Sadhu (holy man) waits to offer blessings to devotees at a temporary camp during the Gangasagar Mela, at Sagar Island, around 150 kilometres south of Kolkata on January 14, 2020. Xavier GALIANA / AFP
A Hindu devotee walks towards the festival area during the Gangasagar Mela, at Sagar Island, some 150 kilometres south of Kolkata on January 14, 2020. XAVIER GALIANA / AFP
A Hindu devotee walks towards the festival area during the Gangasagar Mela, at Sagar Island, some 150 kilometres south of Kolkata on January 14, 2020. XAVIER GALIANA / AFP
A Sadhu (Hindu holy man) blesses a pilgrim during the Gangasagar Mela, at Sagar Island, some 150 kilometres south of Kolkata on January 14, 2020. XAVIER GALIANA / AFP
A Sadhu (Hindu holy man) blesses a pilgrim during the Gangasagar Mela, at Sagar Island, some 150 kilometres south of Kolkata on January 14, 2020. XAVIER GALIANA / AFP
Hindu devotees gather to take a holy dip in the Bay of Bengal during the Gangasagar Mela, at Sagar Island, some 150 kilometres south of Kolkata on January 14, 2020. XAVIER GALIANA / AFP
Hindu devotees gather to take a holy dip in the Bay of Bengal during the Gangasagar Mela, at Sagar Island, some 150 kilometres south of Kolkata on January 14, 2020. XAVIER GALIANA / AFP
A young Hindu devotee walks past a stall selling religious images during the Gangasagar Mela, at Sagar Island, some 150 kilometres south of Kolkata on January 14, 2020. XAVIER GALIANA / AFP
A young Hindu devotee walks past a stall selling religious images during the Gangasagar Mela, at Sagar Island, some 150 kilometres south of Kolkata on January 14, 2020. XAVIER GALIANA / AFP
A Hindu devotee takes a holy dip in the Bay of Bengal during the Gangasagar Mela, at Sagar Island, some 150 kilometres south of Kolkata on January 14, 2020. XAVIER GALIANA / AFP
A Hindu devotee takes a holy dip in the Bay of Bengal during the Gangasagar Mela, at Sagar Island, some 150 kilometres south of Kolkata on January 14, 2020. XAVIER GALIANA / AFP
A Hindu devotee takes a holy dip in the Bay of Bengal during the Gangasagar Mela, at Sagar Island, some 150 kilometres south of Kolkata on January 14, 2020. Xavier GALIANA / AFP
A Hindu devotee takes a holy dip in the Bay of Bengal during the Gangasagar Mela, at Sagar Island, some 150 kilometres south of Kolkata on January 14, 2020. Xavier GALIANA / AFP

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