Sonpur is a town in the Indian state of Bihar, situated on the banks of the River Gandak in Saran district in the Indian state of Bihar. It hosts one of the world's largest Animal Fair which starts on Kartik Poornima. Nearest Hajipur Vaishali is only 3 km and connecting by road NH-19 or by train Jagjivan bridge for double line railway bridge. Sonpur Sub-division consists of Sonpur, Parsa, Garkha, Dighwara, Dariapur blocks. Sonpur Block has 98 villages. 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. Sonpur is a town located in the Saran District of Bihar and is easily accessible via Railways, Roadways, Waterways and Airways. Sonpur 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. The Nearest Railway Station is Sonpur 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 headquarters of the East Central Railway of the Indian Railways. BSTDC organizes ferries to Sonpur during the Season of Sonpur Cattle Fair. Hariharnath Mandir in Sonpur 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 Sonpur of Bihar rather it is of India and world fame.