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{{short description|Island in West Bengal, India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2017}}
{{coord|21.6528|N|88.0753|E|display=title}}
{{Infobox islands
| map = India West Bengal
| location = [[Bay of Bengal]]
| archipelago = [[Sundarbans]]
| country = India
| country_admin_divisions_title = [[States and territories of India|State]]
| country_admin_divisions = [[West Bengal]]
| country_admin_divisions_title_1 = [[Districts of West Bengal|District]]
| country_admin_divisions_1 = [[South 24 Parganas]]
| population = 212037
|area_m2=340|postal_code=[[743373]]|country_admin_divisions_3=MLA - Bankim chandra Hazra}}

'''[[Gangasagar|Sagar]] Island''' is an island in the [[Ganges]] delta, lying on the [[Continental Shelf]] of [[Bay of Bengal]] about 100 km (54 [[nautical mile]]s) south of [[Kolkata]]. This island forms the [[Sagar (community development block)|Sagar]] CD Block in [[Kakdwip subdivision]] of [[South 24 Parganas]] district in the [[India]]n [[States and territories of India|State]] of [[West Bengal]]. Although Sagar Island is a part of [[Sundarbans]], it does not have any tiger habitation or mangrove forests or small river tributaries as is characteristic of the overall Sundarban delta. This island 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 (''[[Puja (Hinduism)|puja]]'') in the Kapil Muni Temple. [[Kolkata Port Trust]] has a [[pilot station]] and a light house.<ref name="Dasgupta">{{Cite journal|author1=Dasgupta, Samira |author2=Mondal, Krishna |author3=Basu, Krishna |name-list-style=amp |year=2006|title=Dissemination of Cultural Heritage and Impact of Pilgrim Tourism at Gangasagar Island|journal=Anthropologist|volume=8|issue=1|pages=11–15|url=http://www.krepublishers.com/02-Journals/T-Anth/Anth-08-0-000-000-2006-Web/Anth-08-1-001-074-2006-Abst-PDF/Anth-08-1-011-015-2006-285-Dasgupta-S/Anth-08-1-011-015-2006-285-Dasgupta-S-Text.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061101073057/http://www.krepublishers.com/02-Journals/T-Anth/Anth-08-0-000-000-2006-Web/Anth-08-1-001-074-2006-Abst-PDF/Anth-08-1-011-015-2006-285-Dasgupta-S/Anth-08-1-011-015-2006-285-Dasgupta-S-Text.pdf|archive-date=1 November 2006|url-status=live|doi=10.1080/09720073.2006.11890928 |s2cid=147750124 }}</ref><ref name = "Telegraph">{{Cite news| title = Sagar bridge on study table | date=11 September 2007|newspaper = The Telegraph|location=Calcutta, India |url = http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070912/asp/bengal/story_8306906.asp|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110525184816/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070912/asp/bengal/story_8306906.asp|archive-date=25 May 2011|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Geography==
{{OSM Location map
| width=350| height=350| zoom=10
| coord={{coord|21|43|0|N|88|14|0|E}}| float=left|caption='''Places in Kakdwip subdivision (Kakdwip, Sagar, Namkhana, Patharpratima CD blocks) in South 24 Parganas district'''<br/> R: rural/ urban centre<br/>Places linked with coastal activity are marked in blue<br/>Owing to space constraints in the small map, the actual locations in a larger map may vary slightly
|mark-coord1={{coord|21|52|33|N|88|11|7|E}} | label-pos1=bottom|label1= Kakdwip| numbered1=R| mark-title1= [[Kakdwip]] (R)|label-color1= #800000 |label-size1=11| mark-size1=12|shape1=l-circle|shape-color1=#C42222 |shape-outline1=white|label-offset-x1=2
|mark-coord2={{coord|21|52|47|N|88|9|58|E}} | label-pos2=left|label2= Harwood Point| numbered2=R| mark-title2= [[Harwood Point]] (R) |shape-color2=#0048BA
|mark-coord3={{coord|21|46|11|N|88|13|53|E}} | label-pos3=right|label3= Namkhana| numbered3=R| mark-title3= [[Namkhana]] (R)
|mark-coord4={{coord|21|35|6|N|88|15|30|E}} | label-pos4=right|label4= Fraserganj| numbered4=R| mark-title4= [[Fraserganj]] (R) |shape-color4=#0048BA
|mark-coord5={{coord|21|44|35|N|88|5|39|E}} | label-pos5=right|label5= Rudranagar| numbered5=R| mark-title5= [[Rudranagar]] (R)|shape-color5=#0048BA
|mark-coord6={{coord|21|38|50|N|88|4|31|E}} | label-pos6=right|label6= Gangasagar| numbered6=R| mark-title6= [[Gangasagar]] (R) |shape-color6=#0048BA
|mark-coord7={{coord|21|47|48|N|88|21|19|E}} | label-pos7=left|label7= Patharpratima| numbered7=R| mark-title7= [[Patharpratima, South 24 Parganas]] (R)
|mark-coord8={{coord|21|38|53|N|88|24|16|E}} | label-pos8=left|label8= Gobardhanpur| numbered8=R| mark-title8= [[Gobardhanpur]] (R) |shape-color8=#0048BA
|mark-coord9={{coord|21|53|30|N|88|12|40|E}} | label-pos9=right|label9= Ganespur| numbered9=R| mark-title9= [[Ganespur]] (R)
|mark-coord10={{coord|21|48|14|N|88|22|25|E}} | label-pos10=right|label10= Ramganga| numbered10=R| mark-title10= [[Ramganga, South 24 Parganas]] (R)
|mark-coord11={{coord|21|45|25|N|88|5|53|E}} | label-pos11=right|label11= Harinbari| numbered11=R| mark-title11= [[Harinbari]] (R)
|mark-coord12={{coord|21|33|47|N|88|15|34|E}} | label-pos12=right|label12= Bakkhali| numbered12=R| mark-title12= [[Bakkhali]] (R) |shape-color12=#0048BA
|mark-coord13={{coord|21.7858 |N|88.0853|E}}| label13=Sagar Island| label-color13 = Black| label-angle13=-0| label-pos13=right| label-size13=10| mark-size13=0| mark-title13=none
|mark-coord14={{coord|21.7858 |N|88.0163|E}}| label14=Hooghly River| label-color14 = #77A1CB| label-angle14=-60| label-pos14=right| label-size14=10| mark-size14=0| mark-title14=none
|arc-coordC={{coord|21.5658|N|88.0763|E}}| arc-textC= Bay of Bengal | arc-text-colorC = soft blue| arc-angleC=200| arc-gapC=-1.0| arc-radiusC=1.6| arc-text-sizeC=14}}

===Location===
Sagar Island is located at {{coord|21.6528|N|88.0753|E|format=dms}}. It has an average elevation of {{convert|4|m}}.

===Climate===
{{Weather box
| location = Sagar Island (1981–2010, extremes 1865–2010)
| metric first = yes
| single line = yes
| width = auto
| Jan record high C = 30.6
| Feb record high C = 33.9
| Mar record high C = 38.3
| Apr record high C = 39.4
| May record high C = 38.7
| Jun record high C = 40.0
| Jul record high C = 36.1
| Aug record high C = 36.7
| Sep record high C = 36.1
| Oct record high C = 34.0
| Nov record high C = 32.9
| Dec record high C = 32.9
| year record high C = 40.0
| Jan high C = 25.0
| Feb high C = 27.2
| Mar high C = 30.0
| Apr high C = 31.6
| May high C = 32.5
| Jun high C = 31.8
| Jul high C = 30.8
| Aug high C = 30.9
| Sep high C = 31.1
| Oct high C = 31.0
| Nov high C = 29.0
| Dec high C = 25.9
| year high C = 29.7
| Jan low C = 16.0
| Feb low C = 19.8
| Mar low C = 23.9
| Apr low C = 25.9
| May low C = 26.7
| Jun low C = 27.1
| Jul low C = 26.8
| Aug low C = 26.5
| Sep low C = 26.4
| Oct low C = 24.9
| Nov low C = 21.2
| Dec low C = 17.4
| year low C = 23.6
| Jan record low C = 7.8
| Feb record low C = 7.2
| Mar record low C = 12.2
| Apr record low C = 12.9
| May record low C = 17.5
| Jun record low C = 18.0
| Jul record low C = 16.2
| Aug record low C = 16.4
| Sep record low C = 17.6
| Oct record low C = 17.2
| Nov record low C = 12.2
| Dec record low C = 9.4
| year record low C = 7.2
| rain colour = green
| Jan rain mm = 12.5
| Feb rain mm = 24.8
| Mar rain mm = 17.3
| Apr rain mm = 46.2
| May rain mm = 144.9
| Jun rain mm = 303.9
| Jul rain mm = 319.9
| Aug rain mm = 345.7
| Sep rain mm = 319.2
| Oct rain mm = 195.7
| Nov rain mm = 53.3
| Dec rain mm = 3.6
| year rain mm = 1787.1
| Jan rain days = 0.9
| Feb rain days = 1.5
| Mar rain days = 1.6
| Apr rain days = 2.5
| May rain days = 6.1
| Jun rain days = 10.7
| Jul rain days = 13.6
| Aug rain days = 15.4
| Sep rain days = 11.7
| Oct rain days = 6.7
| Nov rain days = 1.7
| Dec rain days = 0.3
| year rain days = 72.7
| time day = 17:30 [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
| Jan humidity = 70
| Feb humidity = 73
| Mar humidity = 76
| Apr humidity = 81
| May humidity = 81
| Jun humidity = 83
| Jul humidity = 85
| Aug humidity = 84
| Sep humidity = 83
| Oct humidity = 77
| Nov humidity = 72
| Dec humidity = 69
| year humidity = 78
|source 1 = [[India Meteorological Department]]<ref name=IMDnormals>
{{cite web
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200205040301/http://imdpune.gov.in/library/public/1981-2010%20CLIM%20NORMALS%20%28STATWISE%29.pdf
| archive-date = 5 February 2020
| url = https://imdpune.gov.in/library/public/1981-2010%20CLIM%20NORMALS%20%28STATWISE%29.pdf
| title = Station: Sagar Island Climatological Table 1981–2010
| work = Climatological Normals 1981–2010
| publisher = India Meteorological Department
| date = January 2015
| pages = 677–678
| access-date = 18 January 2021}}</ref>
}}

==History==
{{main|Kapila#Birth of the Ganges|Bhagiratha#Bringing the Ganges to Earth}}
[[File:Kapil Muni Ashram.JPG|thumb|left|Kapil Muni Ashram at Gangasagar]]
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 [[Kapila|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 [[Sagara (Vedic king)|King Sagar's]] [[Ashvamedha|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 [[Naraka (Hinduism)|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 (''[[niravapanjali]]'').

Through [[Tapas (Sanskrit)|deep meditation]], King Bhagiratha induced Shiva to order Ganga down from heaven and the 60,000 sons were freed (''[[moksha]]'') and ascended to Heaven, but the river Ganges stayed on the Earth.<ref name="Dasgupta" /><ref>[[Mahabharata|The Mahabharata]] translated by [[Kisari Mohan Ganguli]] (1883 -1896), Book 3: [[Vana Parva]]: Tirtha-yatra Parva: [http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m03/m03107.htm Section 107], [http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m03/m03108.htm Section 108] and [http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m03/m03109.htm Section 109].</ref> The date of the descent of Ganga was the date, as is at present the 15th Day of January of the [[Gregorian Calendar]] which coincides with that of [[Makar Sankranti]] (when Surya enters Makar Constellation, i.e. "[[Uttarayan]]" of [[Hindu]] [[Panchangam]]).

==Demographics==
As per [[2011 Census of India]], Sagar Island had a total population of 212,037, of which 109,468 (52%) were males and 102,569 (48%) were females. Population below 6 years was 26,212. The total number of literates was 156,476 (84.21% of the population over 6 years).<ref name=census2011>{{cite web| url = http://censusindia.gov.in/pca/cdb_pca_census/Houselisting-housing-WB.html |title = C.D. Block Wise Primary Census Abstract Data(PCA) | work= 2011 census: West Bengal – District-wise CD Blocks|publisher= Registrar General and Census Commissioner, India | access-date = 23 March 2016}}</ref>

==Pilgrimage==
[[File:Sunset at Gangasagar.jpg|thumb|Sunset at Gangasagar.]]
The Gangasagar fair and pilgrimage is held annually on Sagar Island's southern tip, where the Ganges enters the Bay of Bengal.<ref>{{Cite web
| title = Makar Sankanti festival: Sun's Transition from Sagittarius to Capricorn: Time to visit Gangasagar | publisher = Press Information Bureau, Government of India|url = http://pibkolkata.gov.in/web_26_9_04/english_releases/feature10.htm |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070930111437/http://pibkolkata.gov.in/web_26_9_04/english_releases/feature10.htm|archive-date = 30 September 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref> This confluence is also called Gangasagar or Gangasagara.<ref name="RoughG">{{Cite book|editor=Abram, David|chapter=Chapter J: Kolkata and West Bengal|year=2011|title=The Rough Guide to India|publisher=Penguin|page=[https://books.google.com/books?id=A32I8DTLoFMC&pg=PA766 766]|isbn=978-1-4053-8583-1}}</ref> Near the confluence is the Kapil Muni Temple.<ref name="RoughG" /> The Gangasagar pilgrimage and fair is the second largest congregation of mankind after the triennial ritual bathing of [[Kumbha Mela]].<ref>{{Cite news|author=Dawar, Damini|date=14 January 2014|title=Ganga Sagar Mela in West Bengal : A dip for Moksha|newspaper=Merinews|url=http://www.merinews.com/mobile/article/Lifestyle/2014/01/14/ganga-sagar-mela-in-west-bengal--a-dip-for-moksha/15893967|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140116000452/http://www.merinews.com/mobile/article/Lifestyle/2014/01/14/ganga-sagar-mela-in-west-bengal--a-dip-for-moksha/15893967|archive-date=16 January 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In 2007, about 300,000 pilgrims took the holy dip where the [[Hooghly River|Hooghly]] meets the [[Bay of Bengal]] on the occasion of Makar Sankranti. Almost five-hundred thousand pilgrims thronged Sagar Island in 2008.<ref name="pilgrim">{{Cite web
|url = http://www.thestatesman.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&show=archive&id=218846&catid=72&year=2008&month=1&day=16&Itemid=66| title = Dip, deaths mark Sagar mela finale| access-date = 16 January 2008 | publisher = The Statesman, 16 January 2008 }}</ref> For the rest of the year about 500,000 people come to the island.<ref name="Telegraph-2">{{Cite news| title = Bridge plea for Sagar tourism | date =15 January 2007 | last = Chattopdhyay | first = Debashis|newspaper = The Telegraph | location=Calcutta, India|url = http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070115/asp/bengal/story_7263417.asp |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070128210402/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070115/asp/bengal/story_7263417.asp |archive-date=2007|url-status=live}}</ref> According to reports on 14 January 2018, 18-2 million people had visited Ganga Sagar in 2018, against 1.5 million in 2017.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-west-bengal-on-makar-sankranti-2018-ganga-sagar-mela-witnesses-record-crowds-2575293 |title = West Bengal: On Makar Sankranti 2018, Ganga Sagar Mela witnesses record crowds |work = Home>>India | publisher= DNA, 14 January 2018 | access-date = 16 January 2018|date = 14 January 2018 }}</ref>

==Travel==
[[File:Pilgrims - Gangasagar Fair Transit Camp - Kolkata 2012-01-14 0587.JPG|thumb|Gangasagar Fair Transit Camp, 2012]]

From Kolkata, Diamond Harbour Road ([[National Highway 12 (India)|NH-12]]) runs south around 90 km to Harwood Point, near [[Kakdwip]], where a ferry runs to [[Kachuberia]] at the north end of the island.<ref>{{Cite book|author=Bindloss, Joseph|year=2009|title=Northeast India|location=Footscray, Victoria, Australia|publisher=Lonely Planet|page=[https://books.google.com/books?id=D_bYWjJOe9cC&pg=PA141 141]|isbn=978-1-74179-319-2|display-authors=etal}}</ref> The [[Panchyat Samity]] maintains a parking area near the ferry landing. The ferry travels about 3.5 km across a [[distributary]] of the Ganges river (also known as Hooghly River or Muriganga river locally) to reach Kachuberia. Small boats also cross from Harwood Point to Kachuberia. Private cars and buses travel the roughly 32 km to the pilgrimage site at Sagardwip.<ref name="RoughG" /> From the pilgrimage parking area the Kapil Muni Temple is about 200 meters and the Gangasagar confluence is about 700 meters.

[[File:Ganga_river_lanch_service_in_Sagar_deep.jpg|thumb|Ganga river launch service in Sagar Island]]

==Development proposals==
The [[Government of West Bengal]] is planning to connect Sagar Island with the mainland with a 3.3 km bridge costing around Rs. 6,000 million.<ref name = "Telegraph"/><ref name="Manish">{{Cite news|author=Manish, Visakhapatnam|date=20 September 2013|title=Major port at Sagar to be operational by 2019|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-09-20/visakhapatnam/42251181_1_sagar-port-kolkata-port-trust-sagar-island|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130925023400/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-09-20/visakhapatnam/42251181_1_sagar-port-kolkata-port-trust-sagar-island|url-status=dead|newspaper=[[The Times of India]]|archive-date=25 September 2013}}</ref>

The West Bengal government is also planning to build a [[Sagar Port|deepwater port]] in Sagar Island.<ref name="Manish" /> The Indian navy is also interested in using the port on the island.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://thediplomat.com/2013/12/china-to-sell-bangladesh-2-submarines/ |title=China to Sell Bangladesh 2 Submarines |last1=Keck |first1=Zachary |date=22 December 2013 |website=thediplomat.com |publisher=The Diplomat |access-date=22 December 2013}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Commons-inline}}
{{Wikiquote}}
* {{Wikivoyage-inline}}
* {{cite EB1911|wstitle=Sagar |volume=23 |page=1002}}

{{South 24 Parganas}}
{{South 24 Parganas topics}}
{{Major temples in West Bengal}}

[[Category:Islands of West Bengal]]
[[Category:Islands of the Bay of Bengal]]
[[Category:Geography of South 24 Parganas district]]
[[Category:Sundarbans]]
[[Category:Hindu pilgrimage sites in India]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in South 24 Parganas district]]

Sagar Island - Revision history

imported>Cimbalom: /* External links */ EB1911