22/09/2015
SONPUR MELA AT BIHAR U.P (INDIA)
The annual Sonepur Fair in Bihar is a vibrant rural fair that combines spirituality with elephants, cattle, horses and birds. It gets underway on the auspicious Hindu holy occasion of Kartik Purnima, when pilgrims take an early morning bath in the river, and continues for a month. Street magicians, spiritual gurus, snack stalls, handicrafts, amusement rides, circus performers, and theater all create a carnival like no other. While the animals and birds used to be traded, revised wildlife laws have curbed this activity in recent years.
Apparently, the Sonepur Fair has ancient origins back to the rule of India's first Emperor Chandragupta Maurya, who used to buy elephants and horses from it for his army.
The annual Sonepur Fair in Bihar is a vibrant rural fair that combines spirituality with elephants, cattle, horses and birds. It gets underway on the auspicious Hindu holy occasion of Kartik Purnima, when pilgrims take an early morning bath in the river, and continues for a month. Street magicians, spiritual gurus, snack stalls, handicrafts, amusement rides, circus performers, and theater all create a carnival like no other. While the animals and birds used to be traded, revised wildlife laws have curbed this activity in recent years.
Apparently, the Sonepur Fair has ancient origins back to the rule of India's first Emperor Chandragupta Maurya, who used to buy elephants and horses from it for his army.
Elephants at the Sonepur Fair
While the Pushkar Fair in Rajasthan is famous for its camels, it's the elephants that are the star attraction at the Sonepur Fair.They're decorated and lined up on display in rows in an area known as the Haathi Bazaar (Elephant Market). The special thing about it is that you can go up to the elephants and touch them, and even feed them.