Locals fish coins from the sea in West Bengal’s Gangasagar; see pics

The South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal is home to the Gangasagar village, a noted Hindu pilgrimage site. The southern tip of the village has the beach where the river Ganga merges with the Bay of Bengal. (Express Photo by Shashi Ghosh)

This confluence site is a holy spot for Hindus, and pilgrims take a dip in the river. On the occasion of Makar Sankranti, lakhs of devotees gather here to pay their respects and take part in the famous Gangasagar Aarti. (Express Photo by Shashi Ghosh)

As the day of the Gangasagar Fair approaches, several locals can be seen diving in the sea with magnets in their hands to collect coins which devotees throw in the water while they bathe and pray to Maa Ganga. (Express Photo by Shashi Ghosh)

Since many devotees crowd the Gangasagar fair, finding money in the sea is not a big problem; one simply has to keep an eye in the right direction. (Express Photo by Shashi Ghosh)

The livelihood of most of the people living along the seashore is fishing. Many of them lost their homes in cyclone Yaas which wrecked havoc in 2021, and have still not been able to recuperate from the blows of it. (Express Photo by Shashi Ghosh)

These people do not earn a lot throughout the year, so they look forward to the Gangasagar Mela to earn a miniscule fortune. (Express Photo by Shashi Ghosh)

"Those who spend the entire day in the sea, from dawn till dusk, with magnets in their hands are able to earn 700-800 rupees during the three days of Gangasagar Mela," said Nilima Roy, a local who lives off the shore. (Express Photo by Shashi Ghosh)

Every year, the sea eats into a bit of the land. Houses get destroyed, and the island itself is shrinking in size. This lands the inhabitants in deep concern. (Express Photo by Shashi Ghosh)

"Many are leaving the area and relocating to someplace safer. Alas, the poor, like us, have no place to go. Three days a year, right before Makar Sankranti, I collect money from the sea with a magnet, and the rest of the year I bank on daily wages which, mind you, is called 'daily' simply for the sake of it; I still haven't received money for a hundred days of work," said Ofuran Bibi, a local. (Express Photo by Shashi Ghosh)

According to locals, a special type of magnet is needed for picking up money from the sea, which they buy from Kolkata's Barabazar market. It costs about 1,000-1,500 rupees. (Express Photo by Shashi Ghosh)