Sonepur Mela

Sonepur Cattle Fair held on Kartik Poornima (the full moon day) in the month of November in Sonepur, Bihar, on the confluence of river Ganga and Gandak. It is also known as Harihar Kshetra Mela. It has its origins during ancient times. This is when Chandragupta Maurya 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.

According to Hindu mythology, the crocodile is believed to have been in its previous birth a Gandharva chief named Huhu. Huhu had gone to have a bath in this lake and, it is said, caught a holy sage by his leg in a truculent manner. The sage, Dewala Muni, turned furious and cursed the Gandharva chief and changed him into a crocodile as a punishment.

One day the elephant's leg was bitten by the crocodile. It is said that both of them fought hard for many years with their herds. But ultimately the King Elephant lost his strength and prayed to the Supreme God Vishnu (Hari) to save him. Vishnu heard his prayer and cut down the crocodile with his Chakra. But the touch of the chakra released Huhu from the curse. Vishnu also released Indra Yamuna from his curse and took him to his aboard Vaikuntha.

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