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