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Friday, September 21, 2012

Sheetla Ashtami*




It's one of the most important Hindu festivals. Sheetla mata is worshipped on this day. Sheetla Ashtami Festival was celebrated on Thursday, 15th March 2012. It is celebrated a few days after Holi. Devi Sheetla’s puja begins on the day of Krishna Paksha’s Ashtami tithi in the Chaitra month.

Sheetla mata is worshipped on this day. Cold and stale food is offered to Sheetla Devi after the puja. This food is known as Basauda. The same food is consumed by the devotees and distributed among everyone.

Shitala mata
Sheetla mata is considered to be an important Hindu devi. Many religious texts have talked about Sheetla devi including Skanda Purana which talks about her in detail. Sheetla mata helps in curing Small pox. Sheetla mata can be seen with a Kalash, soop and broom. She rides a donkey.

A demon named, Jwarasur-Jwar, Haije’s devi, 64 diseases, Ghentukarna skin disease’s deva and Raktadevi can be seen besides Sheetla mata. Her kalash carries holy water that cures all diseases. According to Skanda Purana, her song of worship is known as Sheetlashtak. It is believed that Sheetlashtak Stotra was written by Lord Shiva for the welfare of mankind.

Shitala Ashtami pooja
Sheetla mata is worshipped on the first Monday and Thursday after Holi. She is worshipped according to the right procedure and purity. Cold and stale food is offered to Sheetla Devi after the puja. This food is known as Basauda. The same food is consumed by the devotees and distributed among everyone.

Devotees fast on this day and Sheetla mata is worshipped. Sheetlashtak is read and Sheetla mata is worshipped after the fast is over. Sheetlashtak describes the magnificence of Sheetla mata and later on her mantra is recited which is very effective.

Basauda is distributed among the devotees after Sheetla mata’s worship. Devotees ask for blessings from Sheetla mata. Sheetla Ashtami is also known as Basauda in northern India. Consuming stale food is stopped after this day. It is believed that worshipping Sheetla mata relieves a person from all his problems and diseases like Dahajwar, Pitajwar, smallpox, smelling boils, eye problems etc.

Significance of Sheetla Ashtami
Nothing is cooked in a house on the day of Sheetla mata’s worship. She is worshipped on the day of Krishna Paksha’s Ashtami in Chaitra, Vaishakh, Jyeshtha and Aashadh months. Hence, these days are also known as Sheetlashtami. In the present times, Sheetla devi’s worship gives a messages for a hygienic and clean surrounding.

Worshipping Devi Sheetla provides motivation for cleanliness and hygiene. Changes can be seen with the change in seasons due to which cleanliness and hygiene are extremely important during these times. Sheetla devi is considered to be a Devi of hygiene and hence, she motivates to keep the surroundings clean and hygienic. This is also a time of diseases like smallpox and hence, Sheetla mata is worshipped during these times.

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