A Sadhu (Hindu Ascetic) taking bath at sunset during Gangasagar Mela!.... Gangasagar Mela, held annually, is the second largest congregation of mankind after holy Kumbha Mela! The river Ganga which originates in the Gangotri glacier in the high Himalayas, reaches the plains, flows through ancient pilgrimage sites, and drains into the Bay of Bengal. A dip where the Ganga meets the sea is considered to be of great religious significance with a belief that it will cleanse and purify their souls.