Sagar Island (West Bengal), Jan 15 (IANS): Nearly 15 lakh devotees took a dip in the holy Ganga at Gangasagar in West Bengal on the occasion of Makar Sankranti, officials said.

Braving chilly weather, devotees from across the country and also Nepal and Bangladesh bathed at the confluence of the Ganga with the Bay of Bengal from the early hours of the day.

The devout believe that a dip in the sacred water at this time washes off their sins.

Sagar Island, about 150 km from Kolkata in South 24 Parganas district, sees massive congregation of people on every Makar Sankranti. Offerings of coconuts are made at the Kapil Muni temple here. 

"Nearly 15 lakh pilgrims have taken a holy dip here," District Magistrate P.B. Salim said. 

Besides floodlights at the ghats, at least 140 close circuit TV and watch towers have been set up in and around the Kapil Muni temple. 

Several thousand police personnel have been deployed apart from the National Disaster Response Force and Coast Guard. Three drones are doing air surveillance.