Sagar island
Encyclopedia
Sagar Island lies on the continental shelf
of Bay of Bengal
about 150 km (80 nautical mile
s) south of Kolkata
. It belongs to the Republic of India
and is governed by the State government of West Bengal
. The island is large — with an area of around 300 km². It has 43 villages and a population of over 160,000.
The island is home to the endangered Royal Bengal Tiger. It is also rich in mangrove
swamps, waterways and small rivers.This island is a famous Hindu pilgrim place. Every year on the day of Makar Sankranti (mid of January), thousands of Hindus gather to take a holy dip in the Ganga and offer puja in the Kapil Muni Temple.
Kolkata Port Trust
has a pilot station and a light house.
In 2007, about 300,000 pilgrims took the holy dip where the Hooghly meets the Bay of Bengal
on the occasion of Makar Sankranti. The figure was lower by around 200,000 because of Kumbh Mela. For the rest of the year about 50,000 people come to the island.
is planning to connect Sagar Island with the mainland with a 3.3 km bridge costing around Rs. 6,000 million. .
West Bengal government is planning to build a deep water port in Sagar Island.
Continental shelf
The continental shelf is the extended perimeter of each continent and associated coastal plain. Much of the shelf was exposed during glacial periods, but is now submerged under relatively shallow seas and gulfs, and was similarly submerged during other interglacial periods. The continental margin,...
of Bay of Bengal
Bay of Bengal
The Bay of Bengal , the largest bay in the world, forms the northeastern part of the Indian Ocean. It resembles a triangle in shape, and is bordered mostly by the Eastern Coast of India, southern coast of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka to the west and Burma and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands to the...
about 150 km (80 nautical mile
Nautical mile
The nautical mile is a unit of length that is about one minute of arc of latitude along any meridian, but is approximately one minute of arc of longitude only at the equator...
s) south of Kolkata
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
. It belongs to the Republic of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and is governed by the State government of West Bengal
West Bengal
West Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
. The island is large — with an area of around 300 km². It has 43 villages and a population of over 160,000.
The island is home to the endangered Royal Bengal Tiger. It is also rich in mangrove
Mangrove
Mangroves are various kinds of trees up to medium height and shrubs that grow in saline coastal sediment habitats in the tropics and subtropics – mainly between latitudes N and S...
swamps, waterways and small rivers.This island is a famous Hindu pilgrim place. Every year on the day of Makar Sankranti (mid of January), thousands of Hindus gather to take a holy dip in the Ganga and offer puja in the Kapil Muni Temple.
Kolkata Port Trust
Kolkata Port Trust
The Port of Kolkata is a riverine port in the city of Kolkata, India. It is the oldest operating port in India, having originally been constructed by the British East India Company....
has a pilot station and a light house.
Pilgrimage centre
Gangasagar pilgrimage and fair is the second largest congregation of mankind after the holy Kumbha Mela. The latter is observed once in four years at alternate locations in north, central and central-west parts of the country, Gangasagar fair and pilgrimage is held annually on the Sagar Island’s southern tip in the Ganges delta atop the Bay of Bengal. That makes Gangasagar all the more distinctive.In 2007, about 300,000 pilgrims took the holy dip where the Hooghly meets the Bay of Bengal
Bay of Bengal
The Bay of Bengal , the largest bay in the world, forms the northeastern part of the Indian Ocean. It resembles a triangle in shape, and is bordered mostly by the Eastern Coast of India, southern coast of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka to the west and Burma and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands to the...
on the occasion of Makar Sankranti. The figure was lower by around 200,000 because of Kumbh Mela. For the rest of the year about 50,000 people come to the island.
Travel
If someone wants to drive to there, the best way is to take Diamnod Harbour road from Kolkata. One will have to drive around 95 km and reach Kakdwip. One should carry all required food items as nothing except some fruits would be locally avaialable. From there one has to go towards Lot no 8 (ferry point). One will have to park the car there and then take a steamer to the Sagar Island. If the tides are low one can go by small boats which generally charge Rs 10 and take around 20 minutes. From there one can take any shared jeep or bus which generally charges Rs 20 per person (25 km) and takes around 45 minutes. If there is a group of 5-6 people it is advisable to take a private jeep which will charge around Rs 700 for both sides and negotiate that he will take the jeep up to the temple. Or else one might have to take a hand ricksaw from the bus stand up to the temple who generally chages around Rs 200. It also becomes very fast if one takes a private jeep. Almost five lakh pilgrims thronged Sagar Island in 2008.Development proposals
Government of West BengalGovernment of West Bengal
The Government of West Bengal also known as the State Government of West Bengal, or locally as State Government, is the supreme governing authority of the Indian state of West Bengal and its 19 districts...
is planning to connect Sagar Island with the mainland with a 3.3 km bridge costing around Rs. 6,000 million. .
West Bengal government is planning to build a deep water port in Sagar Island.