On January 15 morning (day after Makar Sankranti), the number of pilgrims had thinned to a large extent and by noon, most of the road restrictions in Gangasagar had been lifted
A Naga sanyasi from Madhya Pradesh, Maharaj Mahendra Giri, opined that the facilities in Gangasagar have improved significantly over the last few years
Thousands report to free health camps mainly with the complaint of pain, tiredness and indigestion during the mela
Several mobile ATMs and mobile charging points have been installed for the pilgrims in the mela area
The ferry services during the mela were quite smooth with dredging made it possible for ferries to travel nearly 22 hours in a day , compared to 16 hours in normal time
Gangasagar Bakkhali Development Authority (GBDA) undertook large-scale green awareness campaigns during the mela period through well-decorated tableaux
The pilgrim management was almost impeccable at Gangasagar Mela, mainly with the help of road blocks at strategic points. Police personnel claimed that the road blocks helped them to control millions of pilgrims properly and minimise the possibility of any stampede
It was interesting to find that the ‘kolke’, a traditional apparatus used for smoking mainly by sadhus, was inconspicuous by its absence (hardly sold) in Gangasagar Mela, a religious event known for assembly of sadhus
The Kapil Muni Ashram has been a spectacle during night from close as well as distance
Many of the ghats including the one directly opposite to the Kapil Muni Ashram have been completely devastated by rising sea alongside series of high intensity cyclones in recent years