History & Heritage

History of Gangasagar ::

 The development of this island was initiated by outsiders and the present population at Sagar Island is part of a migration. The popular belief/ and fact is this that most of the people of Sagar Island are originally from Medinipur, and it has also been noticed that culturally the people of Sagar Island are connected/culturally compatible first with Medinipur and after that with Orissa / Odisha.

British ships first noticed the Sagar Island on their way to Kolkata, and decided to use this island for making salt; at that time the island was full with wild animals; they captured those animals and sent them to the Zoos and Circuses in England.

The Britishers started to take permission from the colonial Government to work at Sagar Island, one after the other, 7 such lease contracts of 10 years each were completed, and after that the British contractors demanded permanent lease to work at Sagar Island, but the Government denied them that right; and that is why they became less interested about this island. After the age of the British came the time Indian trader turned zamindars or landlords (mostly from Kolkata), and they started to take the lease of this island.

This tradition continued almost till 1910/1915; after that the landlords of Medinipur came into the picture. These landlords also brought people with them and it's those people who have made Sagar Island a suitable place for habitation.

Subsequently the landlords gave the right/lease to several Latdars or sub-contractors touse the land at Sagar Island.

In time Sagar Island also become part of thebigger Indian society and then the island wasdivided into 46 villages, but unfortunately 3villages have gone under the sea. At present there are 43 villages.

Pilgrim Value::

Mythological Value of the Gangasagar Mela:

"King Sagar’s 60,000 sons came to this place in search of their father's Sacrificial horse &they found it there. Actually the horse was stolen by Devraj Indra & hidden at 'Paataal' (below theearth) beside Kapil Muni's hermitage. But king's son did not know this. When they saw Kapil Munithere, they started to blame him for stealing & interrupted in Muni's meditations. Muni becameangry his blaze of anger came out of his eyes, which burnt king's sons & consigned their souls into hell. Many year's later king's grandson king Bhagirath came to Kapil Muni to beg & to pray to Muni to release the souls from hell. Then according to Kapil Muni’s directions king Bhagirathbrought Devi Ganga to this place with the touch of this holy river’s water the souls got liberty. Asper the myth, the souls were liberated on the day of "Makar Sankranti"

So to release own souls from pain, sin & to earn virtue people come here from all over India & takea holy shower into this holy Sagar (Island) & earn blessings worship the great saint Kapil Muni”