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The magazine of the art-form of the photo-essay “A free, really high quality photo-essay magazine.  Fabulous!” Stephen Fry. British actor, writer and film & documentary maker
Oct 2014 back issue
Sonepur Cattle Fair India
by Dipanjan Mitra
Sonepur Cattle Fair, in the state of Bihar in India, is still considered to be the biggest cattle fair in Asia, although the magnitude has reduced considerably during recent times. The fair, set in a small town, usually lasts for a month and is something that should be experienced by everybody living in big and modern cities. Thousands of people flock to the fair to buy and sell thousands of products and hundreds of animals. The bird fair, although illegal, is a major tourist attraction and attracts visitors from all over Asia.
The shoe seller.
Lipstick and nailpolish seller.
Horses on sale.
Horses tied and lined up for sale.
Food is a major attraction at all fairs in India.
The bold and the old.
After the holy bath in the river.
The horse seller.
The joyride.
Tourists from all corners of the country visit every year.
Mother and child enjoying at the fair.
There are entertainments of various kinds at the fair. Live local music is one of them.
On guard.
Elephants of all ages are also sold at the fair, from babies to adults.
Stalls.
A big source of entertainment for the male crowd at the fair, is the late night dance performance by attractive women in scanty clothes.
The bird seller.
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