Sonpur, Bihar

For other uses, see Sonepur.

Sonpur
City
Sonepur
Digha–Sonpur Bridge
Sonpur Location in Bihar, India
Coordinates: 25.7°N 85.18°E / 25.7; 85.18
Country	India
State	Bihar
District	Saran
Government
• MLA	Dr Ramanauj Prasad (R.J.D)
• Member of Parliament	Rajiv Pratap Rudy
Area
• Total	8.27 km2 (3.19 sq mi)
Population  (2011)
• Total	37,776
• Density	4,568/km2 (11,830/sq mi)
Languages
• Official	Hindi
Regional Languages
• Regional	Bhojpuri
Time zone	UTC+5:30 (IST)
PIN	841101
Telephone code	+91-6158
ISO 3166 code	IN-BR
Vehicle registration	BR-04
Lok Sabha constituency	Saran
Vidhan Sabha constituency	Sonepur
Civic agency	Sonepur Nagar Panchayat

Sonpur is a city and sub-division in the Indian state of Bihar, situated on the banks of the River Gandak (River Narayani) and Ganges River in the Saran District. Sonpur once famous for its longest Railway Platform, it also hosts Asia's largest Cattle Fair which starts on Kartik Poornima.

Geography

The town is located at 25.7°N 85.1832°E / 25.7; 85.1832 at an altitude of 42 metres (137 ft).

The river Gandak must have been the route of the movement of Buddha and his followers from Nepal Tarai to Magadh that is why many of the stupas and similar structures, including Ashoka pillars, are found on the banks of the river. The location of Pathar ki Masjid just opposite the meeting point of the gandak, that is southern bank of the Ganges, shows the Muslim influence of trade and commerce in medieval times. The current township Patna is just the modern version of the makeshift headquarters of military establishments of old Patna city which in turn was later version of Pataliputra, the capital of Maurya Empire.

Of the ten railway stations in the world having the longest railway platforms, Sonepur being on the 8th (and 2nd longest at the time of construction) longest platform in the world at 2,415 ft (736 m). It is connected by two rivers, the Ganges and the Gandak.

Transportation and Connectivity

Sonepur is a town located in the Saran District of Bihar and is easily accessible via Railways, Roadways, Waterways.

Roadways

Sonepur is nearly 3 km from Hajipur and 25 km from Patna and 58 km from Muzaffarpur in Bihar & 60 km from Chhapra, the headquarter of Saran District. Buses, Taxis and Auto-rickshaws are easily available.

Railways

Sonepur station

The Nearest Railway Station is Sonepur Junction railway station. It has the 8th Largest Railway Platform in the World. It has trains connecting almost every part of India. It is the divisional headquarter of the East Central Railway of the Indian Railways.

Waterways

BSTDC organizes ferries to Sonepur during the Season of Sonepur Cattle Fair.

Airways

Nearest Airport to Sonepur is Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport at Patna, which is 25 km away.

Real estate boom

The real estate land prices soared in Sonepur after the start of construction of Digha–Sonepur rail–cum–road bridge in 2002. Real estate companies like are acquiring large chunk of land and selling it by dividing those into small plots.

Cattle Fair

Main article: Sonepur Cattle Fair

Sonepur Cattle Fair is held annually in Sonepur. The sight of numerous elephants, decorated for the purpose of sale, is an important visitor attraction.

The Fair is held on Kartik Poornima (the full moon day) in November. It is also known as Harihar Kshetra Mela and it attracts visitors from all over Asia. Till date, it is the second largest cattle fair of India and stretches on from fifteen days to one month. It has its origins during ancient times. This is when Chandragupta Maurya (340 – 297 BCE) used to buy elephants and horses across the river Ganges. The Sonepur Cattle Fair once used to attract traders from places as distant as Central Asia. In 2001, the number of elephants brought to Sonpur Mela was 92, 354 elephants in 2004, while in 2016, 13 elephants made it to the fair, only for display, not for sale. In 2017, there were 3 tuskers at the fair. Sonpur Mela continues to attract foreign tourists who arrive with the motive of capturing various elements of rural settlement. Apart from the photo opportunity, elephants continue to lure most foreign tourists. Swiss cottages are set up by Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation (BSTDC) at the Sonepur fair, with facilities of Internet facility, motor boat ride in river Gandak, food at the tourist village and pre-paid taxis from Patna Airport to Sonpur fair. Disneyland park is set up during the Sonpur Mela. A 'railgram' stall is set up by Railways, where toy train is also erected for children.

2017 Sonepur Harihar Kshetra Mela will commence from 2 November and finish on 3 December. It will be for 32 days. The fair will include events like boat racing, Dangal, water surfing, Water Bath Canning.

Hariharnath Mandir

Hariharnath Mandir (Hindi: हरिहर नाथ मंदिर) in Sonepur is also known for the famous temple of shree Hariharnath and the site of the battle of Gaj-Grah and rescue of the former by Hari During Kartik Purnima Ganga Snan or ceremonial bathing in the Ganges is held by Hindus to be unusually efficacious. On the day of full moon (Kartik Purnima) immense crowd assembles and take bath. The Mela commences on that day and lasts for more than a fortnight. The Shiva temple, Kali temple and other temples and historical religious monuments are situated here and social and economical activities are at the highest peak during the Mela period. People come here to pay their oblation to the lords and thus its importance is not within Sonepur of Bihar rather it is of India and world fame.

According to Uday Pratap Singh, author of the book Baba Hariharanath, before 1757, the Hariharanath temple was composed of artistic rock clusters of timber and black stones. These pictures and praises of Hari were engraved on them. Meanwhile, this temple was reconstructed by Ram Narayan Singh, the deputy sub-ruler of Mir Qasim. He was a resident of Nayagaon, Saran. After this, in 1860, the Empress of Tekai built a hospice in the temple premises. In 1871, the remaining three oases of the temple complex were constructed by Maharana Jangbahadur of Nepal. In the 1934 Nepal–Bihar earthquake, the temple complex, Osara and Pakora were damaged. After this Birla family rebuilt it. English writer Harry Abbott has highlighted the importance of this temple in his diary while visiting the Harihar Nath Temple. In 1871, English writer Minden Wilson described the Sonpur fair in his diary.

Education

Education services in Sonepur is being provided by private as well as government schools and colleges.

1.Kendriya Vidyalaya is one of the notable school and is up to the senior secondary level with Science stream.

2.Ram Sundar Das Mahila Mahavidyalay, Sonpur. SPS Seminary School is one of the famous and old school in this small town which is up to 10+2. P.R.College is one of the oldest college of sonepur, providing bachelors of degree education in Arts and Science affiliated to Jai Prakash University, Saran.

3. Other private schools like St.Joseph's Academy, Maxwell High school, Heritage Public School, Solanki Public School, JDS Public school, and DAV Academy are gaining popularity among locals.

See also

• List of villages in Sonpur tehsil