Pilgrim from Babughat to Gangasagar Mela by Bus at Babughat Kolkata. Pictures by BS News Agency.
Sanchita Chatterjee,BS News Agency, Our Correspondent, Kolkata: The arrangements at Gangasagar have surpassed those of the Kumbh Mela, Raghunath from Yogi Adityanath's state and Keshav from Chhattisgarh are pleased with what they saw at Babughat.
From the provision of drinking water and security arrangements to government initiatives for the general public—residents of Yogi Adityanath's state and those from BJP-ruled Chhattisgarh are placing the Gangasagar Mela ahead of the Kumbh Mela in every aspect. Every year, a transit point for Gangasagar is set up at Babughat. The state administration makes all the necessary arrangements for the devotees there. Residents from other states are satisfied with the arrangements.
Raghunath, a resident of Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh, is almost eighty years old. He has come with his wife and a group of people. This is Raghunath's fifth visit to Gangasagar. He will return home after taking a holy dip on Makar Sankranti on January 14th. Not only him, but a large number of pilgrims have come with him. Some are first-timers, while others come every year. Raghunath is 'amazed' by the arrangements. He said, "I have been to Kumbh. I won't speak ill of my own state. But here, every year I see that the arrangements are getting better and better. So many people died at Kumbh. There were separate arrangements for VIPs. The general public did not receive proper service. But here, the management is excellent. There are no difficulties."
Already, pilgrims have started gathering at the transit camp near Babughat in Kolkata for the Gangasagar Mela and the holy dip. Devotees from various states, including Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, and Gujarat, have now made Kolkata their temporary home. Babughat has transformed into a 'mini Gangasagar'. Some even call it a 'mini India'. According to Keshav and Parshuram, residents of Raipur in Chhattisgarh, they witnessed extreme mismanagement at the Kumbh Mela. When VIPs arrived, the police forgot about the common people. There was no water in the toilets, and complaining was futile. They have many such experiences. Yet, they have been coming here for the past three years, and everything is in order. They say that regular cleaning is being done. Water is available 24 hours a day in the temporary bathrooms. Food arrangements are also in place. The local administration has left no stone unturned in the arrangements.
Only a few days remain until Makar Sankranti. Thousands of pilgrims have gathered. Free meals are being served at the community kitchens set up by various religious organizations. Some are serving khichdi, others rice and lentils, and still others vegetable curry and puris. Many left for Sagar on Sunday.
A fair has sprung up around this camp. Small vendors have set up their stalls. Some are selling sarees, others bags, belts, toys, vermilion, blankets, and pictures of deities. Sadhus and saints have also set up camp in several places within the camp. Yagnas (fire rituals) are being performed. The place is teeming with people. From Sharmila Devi of Rajasthan to Subhadra Devi of Uttar Pradesh, people from various states are coexisting here.