Sheetala Ashtami is an important festival of the Hindu religion. It celebrates the Goddess Sheetala, who is believed to be the controller and protector of some epidemic diseases.
Sheetala Ashtami is an important festival of the Hindu religion. It celebrates the Goddess Sheetala, who is believed to be the controller and protector of some epidemic diseases. This holy festival comes on the eighth day of Krishna paksha (the dark fortnight of the moon) in the Hindu month of Chaitra. Sheetala Ashtami is a dedicated day of every month, but Chaitra month’s Ashtami is believed to be the most auspicious one.
Sheetala Ashtami is celebrated on the eighth day after the festival of colors- Holi. Thus as per the Gregorian calendar, Sheetala Ashtami arrives in the month of March or April. This festival is also known as ‘Basoda puja,’ and it is a popular occasion in the north Indian states of India like Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Gujarat. The essence of this festival lies in worshipping the goddess Sheetala. Hence, people arrange celebrations, fairs, and many rituals to celebrate the whole day with devotion and spiritual activities.
Worshipping goddess Sheetala brings health and protection to the family as per Hindu mythology. Devotees follow Vedic instructions and perform this celebration to appease Goddess Sheetala and receive her blessings. Goddess Sheetala protects her devotees from diseases like chickenpox, smallpox, measles, and other contagious conditions; this is why this festival is very important for families and especially children.
Mythological Story Of Sheetala Ashtami:
According to the scriptures, the Goddess Sheetala is a form of Goddess shakti who defeated the demon Jwarasura. Back in the day, people were suffering immensely from deadly contagious diseases caused by the demon Jwarasura. He was the personification of all kinds of epidemics and some severe diseases that can make people sick and eventually die.
Medicines were not giving effective results, and people were in a severe dilemma. So they prayed to Goddess Shakti to release them from Jwarasura and rescue their lives. So to save her devotees, Goddess Shakti appeared in the form of Sheetala Mata and defeated Jwarasura. She cleansed the whole environment and removed every impurity. In the end, Jwarasura got turned into a donkey which became the vehicle of Goddess Sheetala.
The portrayal of Sheetala Mata is a clear picture of her nature and significance. She is seated on the donkey and holding a broom, neem leaves, soap, and water. Anyone can understand that she is a Goddess of purity, cleanliness, and health.
Rituals Of Sheetala Ashtami:
Sheetala Ashtami is an auspicious day where people do not use fire for cooking purposes. Therefore, the Hindu religion holds immense importance for this festival. Because Sheetala Devi is a symbolic deity of coolness, her devotees avoid the consumption of hot food and hot water on this day.
People prepare various food items on the previous day of this Ashtami and consume that only on the next day. Then, they wake up before sunrise, use cold water to take a bath, and visit the temple of Sheetala Mata to seek her blessings and health for the family.
Devotees read and listen to Basoda Vrat Katha as a part of its puja and make various offerings to Sheetala Mata. Different fruits, rabri, curd, food items, and many other offerings are part of this ritual.
This festival involves taking blessings from the elders and celebrating the rest of the day with different enthusiastic activities. Fasting is also an essential part of this festival. People worship the Goddess Sheetala by keeping one day fast and pray for the curing of their diseases and protection for their family.
Worshipping Goddess Sheetala means worshipping the ultimate diety ‘shakti.’ It requires devotion and true faith to have divine protection and blessings for a healthy life. The time of Holi is the mid-season between spring and summer, which is an anticipated time for chickenpox, smallpox, measles, and other viral diseases. That’s why Hindu scriptures have given an esteemed day called Sheetala Ashtami to pray Sheetala Mata for mystical favor and her kindness.
