The annual Sonepur Fair in Bihar is a vibrant rural fair that combines spirituality with elephants, cattle and horses. It gets underway on the auspicious Hindu holy occasion of Kartik Purnima (usually in November), when pilgrims take an early morning bath in the river, and continues for a month. Street magicians, spiritual gurus, snack stalls, handicrafts, amusement rides, circus performers, and theater all create a carnival like no other. While the Pushkar Fair in Rajasthan is famous for its camels, it's the elephants that are the star attraction at the Sonepur Fair. They're decorated and lined up on display in rows in an area known as the Haathi Bazaar (Elephant Market). However, what really made the Fair remarkable and memorable for me was witnessing crowds of pilgrims taking holy bath at sunrise on Kartik Purnima, where the Ganges and Gandak rivers meet, to purify themselves and wash away any negativity.