Sagar Island: An exhibition titled Banglar Mandir has emerged as a major draw at the Gangasagar Mela, offering pilgrims a consolidated view of Bengal’s prominent temples alongside the annual pilgrimage and holy dip at the confluence of the Ganga and the Bay of Bengal.
The exhibition features scaled replicas of major religious sites across the state, including Dakshineswar Kali Temple, Kalighat, Tarapith, Belur Math, Madan Mohan Temple in Cooch Behar, Mahakal Temple in Darjeeling and Jagannath Dham at Digha. A model of the upcoming Durga Angan at New Town has also been included.
State Power minister Aroop Biswas said pilgrims were arriving at the mela from across the country and abroad, including Ukraine, Russia, the UK, Nepal and France.
He said the exhibition aimed to present scaled versions of temples developed under the state government so that pilgrims could view major shrines at a single location. “We practise religion with sincerity and from the heart. We do not practise religion for politics.
Those who do not truly follow religion mix it with politics, whereas for us, faith is practised with devotion and respect,” he said. Each replica is accompanied by informational panels in Bengali, Hindi and English outlining the history and religious significance of the temples.