Bihar: People bathe in the holy Ganga to mark Kartik Purnima
Chanting mantras from Hindu scriptures, people reached the banks early morning and took the holy dip braving the cold.
A huge crowd had gathered at the confluence of the rivers Ganga and Gandak at Sonepur.
On this day, devotees take a dip in the confluence of the river and offer prayers to Lord Hariharnath, associated with the Gajendra Moksha legend.
Legend has it that Lord Vishnu had saved the elephant by killing the crocodile with his ‘chakra’ after it caught the elephant’s leg in its mouth.
The day also marks the beginning of Sonepur cattle fair, better known as Harihar Kshetra fair, which attracts visitors from all over Asia.
The fair draws its name from the mythological Harihar Nath Temple, believed to have been originally built by Lord Rama on his way to the court of King Janak to win the hand of Sita.
Apparently, during the rule of Mogul emperor Aurangzeb, it was finally shifted to Sonepur where it is held even today.
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Image: Sonepur cattle fair in 2015/AIRNews Twitter
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