Sheetala Asthami / Basoda Puja
Celebrated 8 days after Holi, this year it falls on 22nd March 2025. Sheetala Saptami and Ashtami are significant Hindu festivals dedicated to Goddess Sheetala, an incarnation of Goddess Durga, who is believed to protect devotees from infectious diseases like smallpox, chickenpox, measles and other heat-borne diseases, marking the start of summer season.
As per the Hindu calendar, Sheetala Ashtami takes place on the eighth day of Krishna Paksha (the waning moon) in the Hindu month of Chaitra or Phalguna.
This festival is also known as Basoda Puja, and it holds special importance in North Indian states such as Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Uttar Pradesh. Devotees observe this day with great devotion, offering prayers and following age-old rituals to seek divine blessings for health and well-being.
Skanda Purana goes on explaining the worshipping method of Sheetala Mata. Skanda Purana mentions Sheetala Mata Stotra written by Lord Shiva. It is also known as ‘Sheetalashtak’.
Khadi, rabbadi, khichiya, and sweetened rice are foods traditionally offered and consumed.
Old people too are given food so that they can offer their blessings to the people around junior to them.
One of the unique aspects of Basoda Puja is that families do not light fire for cooking on this day. Basoda means “the previous night”. So, they prepare food a day before and consume it as prasad. After this day, stale food is not to be eaten.
Many idols and images of the Goddess show her with either four or two hands. When depicted with four hands, she holds a short broom, a fan, neem leaves, and a Kalash (pot). She has a pot of medical fluid in one hand and a broom or neem twigs in the other, to represent her ability in purifying the surroundings. Besides these, her vehicle is a donkey. Goddess Sheetala blesses her devotees and wards off all kinds of heat-generated diseases or ailments.