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GANGA SAGAR, INDIA, January 13, 2002: Security precautions are unprecedented here where the Ganga River enters the Bay of Bengal during the annual Ganga Sagar festival. Already 50,000 pilgrims have arrived and hundreds of thousands more are expected for the main bathing day on the January 14. The state government has requested help from the nation’s Coast Guard in light of the December 13 attack on India’s Parliament. The Shankaracharya of Puri also arrived on Saturday evening and went round the mela. Residents of this island venue have complained about getting charged pilgrim’s rate for the ferry service — US$1.50 compared to the normal nine cents.

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