Shoolini, is the principle form of the Goddess Durga, also known as Devi and Shakti. Maa Shoolini the Mahashakti, the form and formless, is the root of knowledge, wisdom, creation, preservation and annihilation. She is Shakti or power of lord shiva. Maa Shoolini manifested with the blessing of Lord Shiva to Tame Lord Vishnu in his 4th Avtar of Narsingh ji and to protect the universe as Narsingh ji as he was becoming threat to the universe due to his fury Maa Shoolini is also popularly known as Dhuruvi, Dhuru ki Devi, Shoolini Durga, Shivrani, Shulini Devi, Saloni Devi, Salonee Devi, you can call her with any name, what matters is the purity of heart. She is also called "Paharon ki Rani", "Queen of Mountains or "Queen of Himalayas" She is the Kul Devi of people of Solan.
Manifestation or Incarnation of Maa Shoolini
Suraj Shanu with the blessings of Maa Shoolini, Bholey nath and Baba Balak Nath ji will tell why and how Maa Shoolini Manifested. It was the time when Lord Vishnu took avatar of Lord Narasimha, to save his devotee Prahlad and as the 4th avatar of Lord Vishnu. Narasimha is half-man and half-lion, having a human-like torso and lower body, with a lion-like face and claws. After killing Hiranyakashyp, none of the devi or devtas were able to calm Narasimha's fury and that time Narasimha started to create destruction but no one could calm him. Even on the request by Goddess Laxmi, Then Devi Devtas prayed to Lord Shiva, after listening to all he decided to calm and Tame Lord Narasimha. It was only Lord Shiva who could tame him, no one had so much power to calm him but only Devon ke Dev Mahadev.
Then, Lord Shiva took a form and incarnated as Sharabha, Sarabeshwara, to tame Narasimha. His form was Part of Bird and Part of Lion also called Sharabeshwaramurti.
This fierce form of Lord Shiva, Sarabeshwara was an eight-legged beast, mightier than a lion and elephant and which can kill the lion. And if you see carefully in the picture you can seeMaa Shoolini, She is in the right wing of Sharabha ji, She is black color that is why she is called Saloni, Shool Dharini as She is a form of Maa Kali or Maa Durga. She is also known as Shoolini Durga. But this was not the end after Lord Shiva taming Narasimha, then again Vishnu ji assumed the form of the ferocious Gandaberunda bird-animal to combat Lord Shiva, Sharabha the super power. The Linga Purana and Sharabha Upanishad also mention this mutilation of Narasimha and Gandaberuda. After Narasimha avatar got tame by Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu could not calm himself, got angry and again took a form of Gandaberuda. Gandaberuda having two heads, rows of teeth, black in complexion and wide wings. The destructive energy of Narasimha as Gandaberuda in form of two headed bird began to fight fiercely with Lord Sharbha for eighteen days. After such a fierce fight Lord Vishnu as Gandaberuda bowed to Lord Shiva and stopped the fight and Lord Sharbha tore apart the two headed bird Gandaberuda. Lord Vishnu prayed to Lord Shiva and bowed to him and displayed his peace and Finally Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu transformed back in their own form of Bholey Nath. The purpose of Lord Shiva assuming the form of Sharabha was to ensure that the lion body of Vishnu was discarded and he got united with his original divine form. Truth is
Shoolini Mela
Shoolini Mela Solan, the Mushroom city of India acquires its name from the sacred shrine of Goddess Shoolini positioned in Solan. The marvellous temple of Shoolini Devi is principally reckoned for the Shoolini Mela celebrated here in the last week of June every year. Dedicated to the patron Goddess of Solan i.e. Maa Shoolini, celebrated in the honor of Goddess Shoolini commemorates the three days visit of the Goddess Shoolini Devi to her elder sister. The citizens of Solan as well as the devotees alight here from neighbouring regions congregate at the Shoolini Devi Temple. Goddess Shoolini is taken out of her temple in an extravagantly ornamented palanquin. The procession passes through different locales of Solan and everywhere it is escorted in a very ostentatious manner. The Mata Durga Temple of the Ganj Bazar is the ultimate destination of Goddess Shoolini which is regarded to be the abode of her sister Durga Devi. The Goddess Shoolini halts at her sister's place for three days and then returns to her own domicile. The return journey of the Goddess to her own temple is celebrated on the last day of Shoolini Mela with even superior pomp and grandeur. On the third day, the festivity reaches its culmination. Solan is cram packed with the deluge of devotees and the entire township is throbbing with unequalled gusto and fervour. Shoolini Mela is the quintessence of Solan's traditional.
