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.

Karol Darshan- Pandava Gufa.

Karol Fair 2012.

Karol fair is being organised since centuries on the Top of Mount Karol in Solan District of Himachal Pradesh , India on second Sunday of June every year. This year it occurred on 17th of June, 2012. To reach on the top one has to trek around 4 KM a steep mountain slope, but this journey is worth enjoying because of mesmerizing beauty of thick forest.  Its a paradise for nature loving persons. 

My only request is when you visit such place please do not throw empty bottles, plates or any kind of garbage there. Look around for dustbin or bring it back in your bag and throw it in dustbin. Imagine if you go to see a beautiful place and you find a dirty place. Care for nature. 

A Village surrounded  by pine trees

Please don't spoil nature

Nanga Baba's Aashram on the way to Karol

Radhakrishan Temple near Pandava Cave

Opening of the Cave

Kali Temple on the top of the Karol

Dazzling view of thick forest

Wild fruit Kashmal

Street Act by School Students- Environment Week 2012

Students of Blossom High School, Solan performing a street act

We all are knowingly or unknowingly responsible for environmental imbalance. So by taking following simple steps you can also contribute to save environment:

1. Plant an herb garden.
2. Switch all your light bulbs to CFLs .
3.  Create a homemade compost pit.
4. Switch one appliance to an energy efficient model (look for the “energy star” rating).
5. Stop using polythene bags use reusable cloth bags instead.
6. Buy an inexpensive reusable water bottle, and stop buying plastic disposable bottles.
7. Wash laundry in cold water instead of hot.
8. Turn off lights when you leave the room.
9. Don’t turn on lights at all for as long as you can—open your curtains and enjoy natural light.
10. Drive the speed limit, and combine all your errands for the week in one trip.
11. Better yet, walk or ride a bicycle to your trips that are two miles or closer.
12. Support your local economy and shop at your farmer’s market.
13. Turn off your computer completely at night.
14.  Pay your bills online. Not only is it greener, it’s a sanity saver.
15. Reuse scrap paper.  Print on two sides, or let your kids color on the back side of used paper.
16. Before buying anything new, first check your local Craigslist or Free cycle.
17. Support local restaurants that use food derived less than 100 miles away, and learn more about the benefits of eating locally.
18.  Fix leaky taps immediately and save water.
19.  Make your own household cleaners.
20. Line dry your laundry instead of using dryer of your machine.
21.  Learn with your kids about another country or culture, expanding your knowledge to other sides of the world.
22.  Unplug unused chargers and appliances.
23. Collect rainwater, and use it to water your houseplants and garden.
24. Switch to cloth diapers – or at least do a combination with disposables. Even one cloth diaper per day means fewer disposables in the landfill each year.
25.  Use cloth instead of paper to clean your kitchen. Be frugal, and make these rags out of old towels and t-shirts.
26. Use cloth napkins daily instead of paper.
27.  Read Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, and be utterly inspired.
28.  Repurpose glass jars as leftover containers and bulk storage, especially in the kitchen.
29.  Donate to—and shop at—thrift stores.  You’ll be recycling perfectly usable items, you’ll be supporting your local economy, and you’ll be saving money.

Abhinay 2012

A national level cultural competitions was organized by Fylfot Forum, Solan. A platform where artists all over India can come and perform. The competition  opened on 3^rd June 2012 and various artists performed over there. On 6^th June there was a road show in the streets of Solan where the artists in their different colorful dresses were looking very beautiful. It seemed that whole India was dancing in the streets of Solan. Here are some magnificent photographs of ‘Abhinay 2012’:

A Tree Rescued from Fire by Urination

It’s not vulgar, this is how I saved a tree.

It’s 2^nd June of 2012  and summer is on its high. All the jungles around Solan were burning. I am a nature loving person and burning trees were calling me for help. I decided to contribute to extinguish the fire but I didn’t know how.

After my office I took my bike and with my friend I went to forest. When we reached there we saw that fire was on its extreme. It was not possible for two of us to put off that huge fire. We were just walking through the burned part of jungle. There were ash of small trees and bushes and half burned trees all around. We were feeling helpless that we were unable to stop that fire. We suddenly saw a young pine tree was smoldering at its trunk near roots. We hadn’t water with us and as the fire was very deep inside the root through a wound it could not be extinguished with earth. It seemed that the fire will slowly kill that tree and we were feeling helpless but I really want to save that tree at any cost. Then I had an idea which is very odd to share but believe me it is not vulgar rather my love and compassion for nature. ‘I urinated on that fire and extinguished it thus I saved a very-very precious tree. I may live 40 to 50 years more but that tree will give oxygen for the hundreds of years coming. I could not stop that whole fire but nobody can imagine how happy I was to save that precious tree.

It was not that how big things you do but even a small step taken for a noble cause can make a difference. So go ahead and save trees in whatever way you can, and motivate others to do so.

Have compassion for Mother Nature and she will take care of us.