SAGAR ISLAND

westernmost island of the Ganges delta, West Bengal state, northeastern India. It lies at the mouth of the Hooghly (Hugli) River (q.v.), an arm of which separates it from the mainland to the east. Situated at a point where the Ganges once met the Bay of Bengal, it is held particularly sacred and is a noted Hindu pilgrimage centre. A three-day bathing festival and large fair are held annually. The island, subject to severe cyclones, has a lighthouse on the southwestern shore to guide traffic up the Hooghly.