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Sonepur, Bihar

Sonpur
सोनपुर
Town
Sonpur is located in Bihar
Sonpur
Sonpur
Location in Bihar, India
Coordinates: 25°42′N 85°11′E / 25.7°N 85.18°E / 25.7; 85.18Coordinates: 25°42′N 85°11′E / 25.7°N 85.18°E / 25.7; 85.18
Country  India
State Bihar
District Saran
Area
 • Total 159.65 km2 (61.64 sq mi)
Population (2011)
 • Total 232,340
 • Density 1,455/km2 (3,770/sq mi)
Languages
 • Official Bhojpuri, Hindi, (English language)
Time zone IST (UTC+5:30)
PIN 841101
Telephone code +91-6158
ISO 3166 code IN-BR
Vehicle registration BR-04
Lok Sabha constituency Saran
Vidhan Sabha constituency Sonpur
Planning agency Patna Regional Development Authority
Civic agency Sonpur Nagar Panchayat

Sonpur (Hindi: सोनपुर) 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 (अनुमंडल) consists of Sonpur, Parsa, Garkha, Dighwara, Dariapur blocks. Sonpur Block (प्रखण्ड) has 98 villages.

The town is located at 25°42′00″N 85°11′00″E / 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.


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