Sheetala ashtami 2020: Today is Sheetla Ashtami, How to worship Sheetla Mata on Sheetla Ashtami?

Goddess Sheetla Mata

The festival of Sheetala Ashtami is celebrated on Chaitra Ashtami after Holi. Many people called it Holi Asthami or Astha Dola. Specially this festival is celebrated in Gujarat, rajasthan and uttar pradesh. Now a days this puja is done in every corner, mother worship this puja for her children. 

Goddess Sheetla is worshipped on this day. The fair is held on this day in Mata Sheetla temples across the country. This festival is known as Basoda. It is customary to offer stale food to Goddess Sheetla. On this day fresh food is not prepared in the house, women cook the food on the night before one day, with the same food, mata sheetla is worshipped. It is believed that mata Sheetla is the goddess of peace who protects the devotees from various types of diseases. 

On this day, before sunrise women gets up and take a bath and what the prasad they preapre before night they offer to mata Sheetla. After this, they listen the story of Goddess Sheetla mata vrat,come to the home and both the hands are vaccinated with turmeric on put the hands on both sides of the main entrance in their home. The water brought from the temples splashes all over the house. This keeps the blessings of Mother Sheetla and protects the house from diseases.

It is believed that Shitala Mata is worshipped to protect from diseases like chicken pox, Small pox, and many more. Stoves or chullah are not lit in homes throughout the day. It is believed that Mata Sheetla gets angry with devotees by burning stove in homes or eating hot food.

On this day you can prepare puree, Suji halwa, dahi, Aloo sabji, Kichdi, Kheer etc. Goddess Sheetla mata is an avatar of Goddess Parvati.