Sheetala Ashtami , Sheetla Ashtami , Shitala Ashtami
Sheetala Ashtami
The Ashtami or the eight day of the waning phase of the moon in the month of Phalguna or Falguna. It is nothing but Falguna or Phalguna Bahula Ashtami or Phalguna Krishna Paksha Ashtami.
Sheetala is a hindi word which means Small Pox and Goddess Sheetala is belived to be the goddess of small pox. Goddess Sheetala is accompanied by Jvarasura and other epidemics. In some place Goddess Sheetala is worshipped as Ola Devi.
On Sheetala Ashtami devotees worship Goddess Sheetala. By worshiping Goddess Sheetala, devotees would pray to her to protect them from diseases and other epidemics.
Devotees do not light the stoves in the house on Sheetala Ashtami. The common procedure is to cook the food the before day and eat the same food on Sheetala Ashtami.
Sheetala Ashtami is commonly celebrated in North India.
The temples of Sheetala Mata is situated at Dhanoop near Bhilwara which is in Rajasthan, Mumbai, Gurgoan, Jalandhar.
