HEMIWSGERGES OF SONEPORE. 



yore, just where the Gunduck pours its waters into the Ganges, 

 there was a terrible fight between an elephant and an alligator, 

 the two monsters of the land and water. In those days Sone 

 pore was a wilderness, and elephants roamed about there free- 

 ly. When the battle was raging at its fiercest, both the com- 

 batants invoked the help of their respective gods. The two gods 

 came to the spot at once and brought about an amicable settle- 

 ment between the two foes. In token of their friendship and the 

 kind intercession of the deities, both the combatants asked to 

 be allowed to build a temple on the spot to be called after the 

 two gods. The permission was granted and the temple of 

 Hori Hora was built which is simply a combination of the 

 names of Vishnu and Siva and represents the union of the 

 two deities in one a combination which is variously account- 

 ed for. Chattar means a collection or gathering, an assem- 

 bly ; thus we have the origin of the Hori Hor Chattar Mela. 

 The fair was never held on such a large scale as it is now. 

 It began to resume this proportion about 50 years ago. The 

 fair extends about three miles North and South and two miles 

 East and West. The temple of Hori Hora is the principal 

 place of worship, but smaller temples have sprung up chief 

 among which are the Kali As than and Panch Diota Mandil, 

 which claim pilgrims' donations and offerings. There are 

 others of minor importance but a pious pilgrim, to derive the 

 full benefit from his pilgrimage, must visit and do devotion in 

 all the temples. 



The Panch Diota Mandil which is a collection of various 

 deities is presided over, strange to say, by a Priestess. She 

 says she has built the temple with the offerings she has collected 

 herself single-handed, and has now taken up her quarters per- 

 manently there. It is an unusual sight to see a Hindu 

 priestess in these days especially one who is such a fine woman 

 as the " Maiji" as she is called. She is a grand old lady, and 

 appears from her talk to be a native of Guzerat. But she can 



