Sheetala Ashtami 2024: Date, Time, Rituals, and Significance
Sheetala Ashtami is celebrated in the month of Chaitra (March – April) according to the traditional calendar of North India. The date of Sheetala Ashtami 2024 is 02 April. Sheetala Ashtami Vrat is observed on the eighth day (Ashtami) of the Chaitra month’s Krishna Paksha (waxing phase of the moon). The common notion is that observing this Vrata will aid in the treatment of numerous ailments.
Sheetala, according to the Skanda Purana, is the healer of epidemics and ailments. Mother Goddess appears as Sheetala Mata to aid her children when large outbreaks and communicable diseases threaten life on earth. She carries a broomstick or neem leaves in one hand, symbolizing her ability to purify the surroundings, and a pot containing medical fluid that heals the afflicted in the other.
Sheetala Ashtami 2024 Date
Tuesday, 02 April 2024
Rituals of Sheetala Ashtami
- The prasad or bhog necessary for the Ashtami puja is prepared the evening before.
- The recipes are prepared using jaggery and vegetable oil.
- The preparation of sweet roti, sweet rice, besan and potato puris, and gulgule, etc. In some locations, black gramme that has been soaked overnight is served the following day.
- On Ashtami, the bhog is brought to a Sheetla Mata temple and served alongside lassi made from unpasteurized milk.
- Alongside the sweet roti are butter and curd.
Raw lassi is frequently provided to Sheetla Mata throughout the day. - In some locations, young females are also worshipped on this day.
- On Ashtami, only cold foods are consumed.
Significance Of Sheetala Ashtami
Sheetala Mata is of great importance in Hindu mythology, as it is thought that she is the Goddess and controller of numerous diseases, including smallpox, measles, and chickenpox. As the deity’s vehicle, the Goddess is depicted in portrait form riding a donkey. With her four hands, she holds a broom, a Kalash (pot) of holy water, some neem leaves, and a dustpan. According to the beliefs, Goddess Sheetala is said to sweep away all germs and then gather them with a dustpan. The fundamental significance of Sheetala Ashtami is that the deity heals the devotees’ diseases and brings them health and peace.
