The three- day State level historic Shoolini fair which signifies faith and devotion in local deity Mata Shoolini began today amidst much fan-fare and enthusiasm in Solan, wherein hundreds of people in their traditional and colourful attires gathered at the famous Shoolini temple and participated in the auspicious shobha yatra.The fair was inaugurated by Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, who along with Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Dr. (Col) Dhani Ram Shandil received the beautifully decorated palanquin of Goddess Shoolini, after paying obeisance to the local deity at temple. They also participated in the auspicious Shobha Yatra. The procession was carried out through the main bazaar from the temple to enable devotees to seek blessings of the Goddess with festooned tableaux.The Chief Minister later showered flower petals on the palanquin of Mata Shoolini from the balcony of Bhagat Urban Co-operative bank on the court road. Bhandara’s or the community Langars were also organised at various places in the Solan town.The Chief Minister also inaugurated Fire Station at Solan completed with an outlay of Rs 1.50 crore.
Besides cultural programmes, badminton, volleyball, karate, wrestling competitions would be the other main attractions of the fair.Earlier, on reaching Solan the Chief Minister was accorded a very warm welcome by the local people along-with Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Dr. (Col.) Dhani Ram Shandil and office bearers of the Solan district Congress committee at Basal helipad.MLA, Shri Ram Kumar, DCC, President, Shri Rahul Thakur, Member BoD Tourism, Shri Surinder Sethi, President Nagar Parishad Solan, Shri Pawan Gupta, General Secretary, State Congress Committee, Shri Vinod Sultanpuri, Member BoD, Pollution Control Board, Shri Arvind Gupta, Chairman Bhagat Bank, Shri Arun Sharma, Chairman, HIMFED, Shri Ajay Bahadur, Chairman, Jogindra Bank, Shri Mohan Mehta, Member, State Youth Welfare Board, Shri Sanjay Awasthi, Member Congress, Shri Man Singh Thakur, Deputy Commissioner Solan, Shri Rakesh Kanwar, SP, Ms. Anjum Ara were also present on the occasion amongst other dignitaries.