Significance of Ganga Sagar Mela in Makar Sankranti: There is a great story behind bathing in Makar Sankranti at Ganga Sagar.
The Gangesagar region is supposedly the place where the Ganga River and the Bay of Bengal converge. It should be noted that the aforementioned tale tells the tale of Sagar Raja’s sons, who gave their lives in order to reach the Ganges River’s demise. Let’s look at that incident.
Like every year, it is anticipated that this year’s Makar Sankranti will draw a crowd to the Gangesagar Mela to take a bath. The 2023 Gangasagar Mela began on Sunday. All pilgrimages are repeated, but Gangesagar is only done once, as the proverb says. And that is how the pilgrim gathering is. There are also people performing puja at Kapil Muni’s ashram in Gangasagar. Let’s examine the background and myths associated with Gangesagar, Kapil Muni’s Ashram, and Makar Sankranti.
This fair draws a large number of pilgrims to Sagar Dwip, which is about 100 kilometres from Kolkata. It should be noted that the aforementioned tale tells the tale of Sagar Raja’s sons, who gave their lives in order to reach the Ganges River’s demise. Let’s look at that incident.
The horse from the god Indra’s Ashwamedha Yajna was stolen by the king of Ayodhya’s Ikshaku dynasty, according to the myth of Gangesagar. In the Gangesagar, close to Kapil Muni’s Ashram, he hid the horses. The youngsters of Raja Sagar arrived in search of that horse. At that moment, Kapil Muni’s anger rained down upon 60 thousand of Sagar Raja’s sons, and their souls perished in the flames of hell. Then Sagara King’s grandson Bhagiratha brought Ganga from heaven to that location. All of his sons’ ashes were cleaned by him. Let go of their souls.
According to legend, Kapil Muni gave Bhagirath the order to bring Ganga down from heaven. Makar Sankranti is the day that Ganga arrives in that region from above. As a result, Makar Sankranti is a particularly good day for performing puja at Kapil Muni’s Gangesagar Ashram. On Makar Sankranti, it is reported that the Ganges escaped Shiva’s control, touched Kapil Muni’s ashram, and then the ocean.
On Kapil Muni’s instructions, it is said that Bhagirath brought Ganga down from heaven. Makar Sankranti is the day on which Ganga descends from heaven to that region. Consequently, performing puja at Kapil Muni’s Gangesagar ashram on Makar Sankranti has unique significance. On Makar Sankranti, the Ganges is claimed to have escaped Shiva’s control, touched the ashram of Kapil Muni, and then the ocean.