The Optimistic-Gangasagar Pilgrimage-

Gangasagar Pilgrimage

Gangasagar Pilgrimage- better known as "Gangasagar Mela" is the biggest attraction for hundreds of pilgrims and tourists during Makar Sankranti (mid-January). It is the biggest fair  held in West Bengal at Sagardwip, an island in the Sunderbans. Every year thousands of pilgrims from all over India from different castes and creed attend this fair to take a holy dip at the confluence of the River Ganges and Bay of Bengal. If you want to be a part of this fair, you don’t have to be a pilgrim; lovers of adventure find this an amazing place too. It’s a new experience altogether. 

Sagar Islandis an island in the Ganges Delta, lying on the continental shelf of Bay of Bengal about 100 km  south of Kolkata. This Island under South 24 Parganas District in India State West Bengal. The island is large — with an area of 224.3 km², lying between 21°36’ to 21°56’ north latitude and 88°2’ to 88° 11’ east latitude.It has 43 villages and a population of over 160,000. The largest village is also named "Ganga Sagar" or "Gangasagar" Although Sagar island is a part of Sunderban Administration, it does not have any tiger habitation or mangrove forests or small river tributaries as is characteristic of the overall sunderban delta.
This island, also known as Gangasagar or Sagardwip, is a place of Hindu pilgrimage. Every year on the day of "Makar Sankranti" (14 January), hundreds of thousands of Hindus gather to take a holy dip at the confluence of river Ganges and Bay of Bengal and offer prayers  in the Kapil Muni Temple.

A holy man, Kardam Muni, made a pact with Vishnu that he would undergo the rigours of marital life, on the condition that Vishnu would incarnate as his son. In due time Kapil Muni was born as an incarnation of Vishnu and became a great saint. Kapil Muni’s Ashram was located on the island. One day King Sagar,s sacrificial horse disappeared; it had been stolen by Indra.

The king sent his 60,000 sons to find it, and they found it next to Kapil Muni's ashram, where Indra had hidden it. Mistaking Kapil Muni for the thief, the sons accused Kapil Muni, who in his wrath at the false accusation burned the sons to ash and sent their souls to Hell. Later having compassion for the King Sagar's sons, Kapil Muni acceded to the prayers of King Sagar's descendants, agreeing to the restoration of the sons, if Parvati in the form of the river goddess Ganga would descend to Earth to perform the Last Ritual (Hindus also called as"Tarpan") of mixing the ashes with holy water.