Shoolini Fair-2012

Shoolini fair, which signifies our belief and faith in our local deity Maa Shoolini has started today on 23-6-12. This fair means colorfulness, excitement, zest & zeal, cultural programs, different types of rides, Jalebi wala, Gubbare Wala, Maut Ka Kunwa and many more colors. 

The three day Shoolini fair started amidst great enthusiasm and zeal today in the historic Thodo Ground of Solan.  The whole city has been decorated with bright lights and looking like a new bride. The festival started with colorful Shobha Yatra of  the presiding Deity. After the Yajna the August Palanquin (Palaki) of Divinity was taken out from the temple and the possession covers the rout of Solan City. Many vehicles with decorated with beautiful seens, predicting the religious and cultural events joins the Shobha Yatra. Thousands of devotees thronged the temple early morning . People form Solan, Shimla, Sirmour, Chandigarh, Punjab and Haryana joined the festivities. Cultural nights are organized , where prominent local as well as national artists perform during the fair.

The Shoolini fair was started hundreds of years ago to encourage and preserve the culture of the region.

Events like Thoda, traditional Himachali archery; wrestling and exhibitions are the other attractions of the fair, which concludes on Sunday. The devotees of Mata organize Bhandaras (feast) at many places in the city for the public.

Here are some photographs of Beautiful of the fair:

Where the whole city is in a kind of spiritual and cultural hangover there are some negative issues related to this sacred occasion. These are like huge uncontrollable gathering, unnecessary trafic jam, intolerable noise pollution, eve teasing, street fights, indiscipline, wastage of food, city full of filth and garbage etc.

Now question arises that, who is responsible for this? Is it lenience of administration, inability of organizers or lack of discipline and knowledge among general public?

Many businessman and people due to their faith organize Bhandaras at many places but the cleanliness of the city is completely ignored. They do not make provision of dustbins for the empty plates and cups. Some opens water taps for public directly on the road, and the garbage and water makes road slippery and very dirty. There are empty plates  and cups all over. However some have placed dustbins but these dustbins were longing for garbage and people irresponsibly throwing garbage on the road. It is very unfortunate that we worship the goddesses but we are making her place messy.

Please show that you are not illiterate or uncivilized.