Hariharnath Temple
The only temple in the country where Lord Vishnu and Lord Bholenath are seated in the same Shivlinga in the sanctum sanctorum of the temple. This temple is in Sonpur in Bihar where Baba Hariharnath Temple is located on the banks of Narayani river. The sanctum sanctorum of this temple has a Shivlinga, in one half of which Lord Vishnu and the other half of Lord Bholenath are enshrined together.
Baba Hariharnath temple priest Pawan Ji Shastri says that the confluence of the Ganga and Gandak rivers is the first temple in the country where Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva are seated in the same Shivling. He said that Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva are symbols of harmony. He said that Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva cannot be seen together in any temple in the country or abroad. Both Lord Shiva and Vishnu will meet separately. Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva are seated together in the Baba Hariharnath Temple of Sonpur, Bihar.
World famous cattle fair
A world famous cattle fair is held in Sonpur. It is believed that buying cattle from this cattle fair is considered very auspicious. A popular story behind this fair is that once there was a war between an elephant and a crocodile. Lord Vishnu ended this war by running the Sudarshan Chakra. Since then the cattle fair started.
Baba said that worshiping Lord Vishnu and Lord Bholenath together fulfills one’s desires. Baba Hariharnath Temple has been seeing a crowd of devotees since morning to offer prayers. Every year on the occasion of Kartik Purnima, lakhs of devotees come to bathe in Ganga, Gandak.
After bathing, devotees go to Baba Hariharnath Mandir for Baba’s darshan. In the world famous Hariharkshetra Sonpur Mela, tourists from different states of the country and abroad also come to the Baba Hariharnath Temple to offer prayers and seek blessings.
