About 65 lakh pilgrims from across the country have visited Sagar island to take a holy dip at the confluence of river Ganga and the Bay of Bengal during the Ganga Sagar Mela, West Bengal Minister for Power, Sports and Youth Welfare and Housing said on January 14. Only a day ago on January 13 the Minister had put the number of devotees who had visited the island for the annual pilgrimage to 45 lakh.
The Minister said that the huge rush of pilgrims is because the West Bengal government is promoting ‘religious tourism’ as a priority sector and every religious pilgrimage in the State is witnessing a rise of pilgrims and visitors.
Mr. Biswas said that the annual pilgrimage starts from January 8 and concludes on January 17. The auspicious timing for holy dip for the occasion of Makar Sankranti is from 00.13 hrs on January 15 to 00.13 hrs on January 16.
