Kolkata, 14 January (H.S.): On the occasion of Makar Sankranti, a massive turnout of devotees was witnessed along the banks of the River Ganga in Kolkata, Howrah and other riverine areas of West Bengal from early Wednesday morning. The enthusiasm for the holy bath remained high from morning till afternoon, with large numbers of pilgrims arriving at the ghats for ritual bathing and prayers.

Although the auspicious timing of Makar Sankranti this year begins after 8 pm and continues till Tuesday afternoon, as per traditional observance the festival is celebrated on January 14. Adhering to this custom, devotees took the holy dip in the Ganga on Monday. People from Howrah, Hooghly, Kolkata, North 24 Parganas, Nadia and several other districts gathered along both banks of the river.

The ghats saw a steady flow of men, women, youth and elderly devotees, all offering prayers after taking a dip in the river. A large number of priests were also present, conducting rituals and religious ceremonies in accordance with Vedic traditions.

Priest Bhim Banerjee explained that the period from December 15 to January 14 is traditionally known as Kharmas, which is considered part of Pitru Paksha. During this period, auspicious activities are avoided. The holy bath on Makar Sankranti marks the end of Kharmas, after which auspicious rituals and ceremonies are resumed. This belief lends special significance to the Ganga bath on this day.

He further said that while Gangasagar holds unique religious importance, it is believed that bathing in the Ganga anywhere brings spiritual merit, as the river granted salvation to the 60,000 sons of King Sagar. Guided by this faith, thousands of devotees from cities and villages along the Ganga thronged the riverbanks to take part in the sacred ritual.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh