Sonpur Mela

 

                             Sonpur Mela

 

Sonpur is a small city and sub-division in the Indian state of Bihar, situated on the banks of sacred river Gandak (Narayani) and the Ganges River in Saran district. Once this city was famous for longest railway platform. Its fair which is very much popular, vibrant and colorful fair held on Kartik Poornima (full moon) day on the confluence river Ganga and Gandak about 20 kms across Ganga river North of Patna, the convergences of these sacred river regarded as holy site among the Hindus. Basically it is peasants fair and people from far off places even offshore countries come to see it. But now the distant is halved due to new rail and Road connectivity from Digha in Patna to Sonpur directly. It is also popularly known as Harihar Kshetra Mela. Its main attraction is the biggest cattle fair, which consists of elephants, cows, buffalos, birds and puppies of different species, horses and many more. This fair lasts fifteen days to a month in duration. 

As per folklore Chandragupta Maurya (340-297 BCE) bought elephants and horses across the river Ganges  for trading and it attracted traders from far off places of Central Asia and it is still continuing. Previously this fair was celebrated in Hajipur across the river Gandak and 3Kms east of Sonpur and the puja was performed at the temple of Harihar Nath in Sonpur, but  it is Moughal Emperor Aurangzeb who shifted the fair from Hajipur to Sonpur. There is belief that the Harihar Nath temple was built by Lord Rama. So the sentiments of Hindus are with this fair. But the temple which stands today is built by Raja Ram Narain a very popular and influential person during Moughal period.

There is very popular folklore about the fight of Gaj (elephant) and Grah (crocodile) which was ended by the help of Lord Vishnu after killing the Crocodile. This fair also attracts youngsters from villages and surrounding areas to see the performance of nautch girls in different theaters and for ladies buying different and colorful bangles and other utilities etc.

As I lived in Patna so this fair always attracted me and I used to go there with my photographer friends by motorcycles very early in the morning to catch the early morning oblations of the devotees and the rising sun. Later for convenience I stayed in hotels in Hajipur and use to walk across the Gandak Bridge in the very early morning to catch the view of rising sun which makes very attractive.. Early morning picture always considered photographers delight. Bihar Government also provides beautiful accommodations in the midst of fair but I found those always full. While making photo feature I got an interesting shot of a cub elephant who scared a village women during Mela.

Text and Photo by- Ashok Karan.

Ashokkaran.blogspot.com,

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