Gangasagar Mela | 17 Feb 2025

Source: TH 

Rising Sea Levels threatens Gangasagar Mela on Sagar Island in West Bengal, highlighting the intersection of climate change and pilgrimage. 

• Gangasagar Mela: It is the world's second-largest human congregation, after the Kumbh Mela, held at the confluence of the holy river Ganga and the Bay of Bengal, celebrated on the eve of Makar Sankranti. 
• Sagar Island: Also known as Ganga Sagar or Sagardwip, Sagar Island is located about 120 km from Kolkata and is the largest in the Sundarbans archipelago, with a population of around two lakh (2011 Census).  
  • Classified under the sand group category, it is accessed by crossing the Muriganga River. 
• Impact of Climate Change: Rising sea levels and soil erosion threaten the Kapil Muni temple (once a central site of the mela), with the sea encroaching closer. 
  • Mangrove destruction for construction for mela worsens exposure to tidal surges, highlighting the need for natural barriers. 

Read more:  Right to Protection from Climate Change Impacts