Sagardwip is a small island located in Sunderban, 128 km from Kolkata, in West Bengal. Sagardwip was earlier covered with dense forest and there was no habitation until the year 1822, when the East India Company decided to send five families to this Island from the Arakan Valley.
After this, the population of this place started to increase gradually and now the Hindus regard it as a holy place. People from different regions like Sri Lanka, India and Lahore come to this place to take dips in the holy water. In the year 1960, the first metal road in Sagardwip was built.
Sagardwip is popularly known as Gangasagar in the Asian sub-continent and is regarded as one of the important pilgrimage spots in West Bengal because it is the place where the river Ganga meets the ocean. The concept of Sagardwip has also been mentioned in the sacred texts of the Ramayana and Mahabharata.
Some of the important places here include the ashram of sage Kapil Muni, which is the fourth constructed temple in the island. All the earlier temples were destroyed by natural calamities. However, in the year 1973, the construction of the present temple was completed with the assistance of the Government of Bengal.
Other than the temple of Kapil Muni, the
Gangasagar Mela held here is one of the largest religious fairs of the state that is held in the month of January, during Makar Sankranti.
The silvery beach here is slowly developing into a popular tourist destination. The other popular spots on Sagardwip include Bharat Sevashram Sangha Temple of Gangasagar, the Ramakrishna Mission, the Onkarnath Temple in Sagar Island, Sagar Marine Park and the Sagar Lighthouse that provides a clear view of the surroundings.
The weather of this place is mainly tropical due to the proximity to the sea, and the summers here from the month of March to May are hot and humid. The temperatures during this period reach up to 36
o Celsius. However, in the month of May this place receives moderate rainfall. October to November is the best time to visit this place.
