Makara Sankranti - Ganga Sagar Mela

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Dear Beloved Devotee and Well-Wisher,

May Lord Śrī Krishna and Mother Ganga shower their blessings upon you.
Wishing you a blissful, auspicious, and prosperous New Year 2026.

At the divine confluence of the Bay of Bengal and Mother Ganga rests Gangasagar Dham—celebrated in the scriptures as a holy tīrtha that can wash away the accumulated sins of innumerable lifetimes.

During the annual Gangasagar Mela on the auspicious day of Makar Sankranti, millions of sādhus and tīrtha-yātris travel great distances—many walking for days, some sleeping beneath the open sky, others elderly, fragile, hungry, thirsty, or physically exhausted. Yet all of them come with one profound aspiration: purification of the heart, spiritual upliftment, and the hope of receiving the Lord’s mercy in this holy dhām.

Scriptures narrate how King Bhagirath brought Mother Ganga to earth and liberated his forefathers. Gangasagar, further sanctified by the intense tapasya of Lord Kapila Muni, is described in Vedic śāstra as a sacred place where bathing on Makar Sankranti bestows peace, prosperity, auspiciousness, and liberation from material suffering.

On this very day, the Sun enters Uttarāyaṇa—a supremely auspicious moment that even Bhīṣma Pitāmaha waited for before leaving his earthly body.

Across India, this festival is celebrated under many names—Poush Sankranti, Pongal, Lohri, Magh Bihu, Uttarayan, Khichdi, Pedda Panduga—yet everywhere its essence remains one: charity, compassion, purification, and devotion.

ISKCON Gangasagar Seva Camp

This year once again, ISKCON Gangasagar is setting up a devotional seva camp on the banks of Mother Ganga to lovingly serve thousands of pilgrims with:

Hot, nutritious prasādam

Shelter and resting facilities

Spiritual association

Medical care

Gītā-dāna and vastra-dāna

Drinking water and sanitation

Compassionate assistance

This divine mission can be accomplished only through the generous support of devotees and well-wishers like you.

The Glory of Bengal
The Vedic Center for Culture & Education

International Society for Krishna Consciousness
Founder-Ācārya: His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda

Address:
Hare Krishna Land, Road No. 5, Near Helipad
Village, PO & PS: Gangasagar Coastal
24 Parganas (South), West Bengal – 743373

Contact:
iskcongs@gmail.com

97353 33511 / 98744 37164
www.iskcongangasagar.com

About the Pilgrims

During the Mela, pilgrims arrive weary—often elderly or ill, many having walked barefoot for miles. They seek:

Hari-kathā

Harinām-saṅkīrtan

Blessings and guidance

Prasādam and drinking water

Medical assistance

A moment of spiritual refuge

Your support offers nourishment, relief, dignity, and upliftment to thousands.

The scriptures declare:

“Tīrtha-kurvanti tīrthāni sādhavaḥ”
It is the saintly devotees who sanctify the holy places.

Serving pilgrims is therefore serving the Lord Himself. As Krishna assures in the Bhagavad Gītā (9.26):
“Patram puṣpam phalam toyaṁ…”—even a leaf offered with devotion is lovingly accepted by Him.

Seva Requirements for Gangasagar Mela 2026

To organize the ISKCON Gangasagar Mela 2026 Seva Camp, we humbly require ₹50 lakhs, covering:

Prasādam distribution

Accommodation and kitchen setup

Sanitation and drinking water

Vastra-dāna & Gītā-dāna

Medical assistance

Volunteer services

Prasādam Seva Goal

1,50,000 pilgrims

₹30 per prasādam plate
(Rice, dal, sabji, pickle/halwa)

Served from early morning till midnight

Special Donor Facilities (First Time Ever)

Sponsor 7,000 meals (₹2,10,000 and above):

AC Super Deluxe Guest House accommodation

Donor banner display

Opportunity to personally serve pilgrims

Sponsor 1,000 meals (₹30,000):

VIP Tent accommodation (common toilets)

Donor banner display

All donors receive:

Personalized appreciation letter

Sealed bottle of Holy Ganga water

Sanctified prasādam packet

A Humble Appeal

Imagine an elderly pilgrim who has walked for two days…
A mother shielding her child from icy winds…
A sadhu relying entirely on the Lord’s mercy…

When such pilgrims receive warm prasādam, shelter, water, or even a gentle smile—that moment becomes your seva. The Lord sees it, and Mother Ganga lovingly witnesses it.

With Gratitude

On behalf of ISKCON Gangasagar, we sincerely thank you for your trust and support. With folded hands, we invite you to join this sacred mission of compassion and devotion.

Please support according to your capacity.

For assistance:
Shri Sundar Govind Das – 97353 33511 / 98744 37164
iskcongs@gmail.com

May Lord Kapila Muni and Mother Ganga bless you and your family with devotion, protection, prosperity, and spiritual happiness in the New Year.

Your insignificant and ever-grateful sevak,

Shri Sundar Govind Das
Temple President
ISKCON Gangasagar International

Tax Benefit

All donations toward annadāna are eligible for 80G tax exemption (India).

http://www.iskcongangasagar.com/gs-mela-2026.html

 

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