Lakhs of pilgrims have already converged on the Gangasagar island to take the holy dip on Makar Sankranti today even as a constant stream of devotees from across the country and abroad were still pouring in.

As there is no Kumbh Mela this year, the district administration is expecting an even bigger turnout. While around 2.4 lakh of people have already flown into the island, nearly a lakh are waiting for ferry services from Namkhana Lot 8 and Cimaguri points. “We expect a huge surge in the numbers tonight,” said District Magistrate Sanghamitra Ghosh.

As per the Hindu calendar, Makar Sankranti starts after 12 on the night of January 13/14 and continues for the next 24 hours.

“I have been coming to this fair for the past 30 years. Every year, I travel a long distance to take the holy dip. It involves a lot of pain, but the holy dip into the Gangasagar takes it away,” said Rani Pandey, who has come all the way from Punjab.

With the almanac declaring Makar Sankranti after 12 am on 14 January, some people also plan to take a dip in the Ganges tonight itself, the cold notwithstanding. “Why will I wait till tomorrow? We will take a bath tonight itself,” said Ramesh, a resident from Bihar.

Meanwhile, the district administration said that owing to high and low tides, there will be a restriction on the movement of people returning from Gangasagar. Although lighting fires at pilgrim sheds has been banned by the district administration, fire retardant solutions have been applied at these sheds.