Sheetala Ashtami is observed on the Ashtami Tithi of the Krishna Paksha in the month of Chaitra. In 2027, Sheetala Ashtami will be observed on March 30, Tuesday. On this day, devotees worship Mata Sheetala according to traditional rituals and offer her food that was prepared a day earlier and kept for the occasion. Because of this tradition, Sheetala Ashtami is also known as Basoda or Basora in many regions.
According to religious beliefs, Mata Sheetala is regarded as the goddess who blesses devotees with good health. Traditionally, devotees have worshipped Mata Sheetala with the belief that she protects people from smallpox and other diseases. Devotees pray to the goddess for the good health, happiness, peace and prosperity of their families. The festival is also associated with the importance of cleanliness and health.
When is Sheetala Ashtami in 2027?
In 2027, Sheetala Ashtami will be observed on March 30, Tuesday. The festival is observed on the Ashtami Tithi of the Krishna Paksha in the month of Chaitra.
Sheetala Ashtami 2027 Date: March 30, 2027, Tuesday
Ashtami Tithi Begins: March 29, 2027, at 5:12 PM
Ashtami Tithi Ends: March 30, 2027, at 7:41 PM
There is a tradition of preparing food for Sheetala Ashtami one day in advance. On this day, devotees offer cold food to Mata Sheetala, and in many families, the stove is not lit and no fresh food is prepared.
Why is Sheetala Ashtami Called Basoda?
On Sheetala Ashtami, devotees traditionally offer Mata Sheetala food that was prepared a day earlier. Because of this tradition, the festival is known as Basoda or Basora in many places.
According to tradition, the food for the following day is prepared on Saptami itself. On Ashtami, this food is first offered to Mata Sheetala and is then consumed by family members as Prasad.
Sheetala Ashtami Puja Vidhi
The Prasad for Mata Sheetala should be prepared one day before Sheetala Ashtami, that is, on Saptami. Depending on family traditions and individual preferences, devotees may prepare sweet rice, Pua, curd, Rabri and other traditional dishes as Prasad.
On Sheetala Ashtami, many families do not light the stove or prepare fresh food. Family members offer the food prepared earlier to Mata Sheetala and then consume it as Prasad.
On the morning of Sheetala Ashtami, wake up before sunrise, take a bath and wear clean clothes. After this, clean the Puja area and meditate on Mata Sheetala.
Offer water to the idol or picture of Mata Sheetala. Prepare a lamp using flour and light it with ghee. After this, offer Roli, Mehendi, turmeric, Akshat and Kalawa to the goddess.
Now offer Mata Sheetala the cold food prepared one day earlier as Bhog. Worship the goddess according to the traditional rituals and pray for the good health, happiness, peace and prosperity of the family. After the Puja, listen to or read the Sheetala Mata Vrat Katha.
What Bhog Should Be Offered to Mata Sheetala on Sheetala Ashtami?
On Sheetala Ashtami, devotees mainly offer food that was prepared one day earlier as Bhog to Mata Sheetala. Bhog traditions may vary from one region to another. Generally, sweet rice, Pua, curd, Rabri and other traditional dishes are offered to the goddess.
After the Bhog is offered, it is distributed among family members as Prasad.
Sheetala Ashtami Vrat Katha
According to a popular mythological belief, once during the summer season, Mata Sheetala thought of visiting the earthly realm to see who worshipped and prayed to her. The goddess took the form of an elderly woman and began walking through the streets of a village called Dungri.
She saw that the village had neither a temple dedicated to her nor anyone who worshipped her. During this time, someone threw boiling rice water on her. Because of the hot water, blisters appeared on the goddess's body. No one in the village came forward to help her.
In the same village, a potter woman was sitting outside her home. When she saw the elderly woman and noticed her condition, she felt compassion for her. She said that she would pour cool water over her body to provide relief from the burning sensation and blisters.
The cool water brought relief to the goddess. After this, Mata Sheetala asked the potter woman for some food. The woman replied that there was no freshly prepared food in her house at that time, but she had some sweet rice left over from the previous night.
The potter woman gave the same sweet rice to the goddess. Mata Sheetala greatly enjoyed the food. Pleased with the potter woman's kindness, service and generosity, the goddess revealed her divine form to her.
The potter woman was astonished to see Mata Sheetala in her divine form and bowed before her. Seeing the poor condition of her home, she told the goddess that she did not even have a proper and clean place where she could seat her.
According to the belief, Mata Sheetala decided to remove the potter woman's poverty. Holding a broom in one hand and a winnowing basket in the other, she removed the poverty from her home. The goddess then gave her some water and asked her to sprinkle it around the house.
Mata Sheetala told her that the next day, all the other houses in the village would catch fire, while her house would remain safe. After saying this, the goddess disappeared.
Following the goddess's instructions, the potter woman sprinkled the water around her home. The next day, as Mata Sheetala had said, her house remained safe.
The villagers were amazed when they saw this. They took the potter woman to the king. There, she narrated the entire story and explained the glory of Mata Sheetala to the king.
According to the story, impressed by what he heard, the king announced that Mata Sheetala would be worshipped on the Ashtami Tithi of the Krishna Paksha in the month of Chaitra. On this day, food would not be prepared, and the food made one day earlier would be offered to the goddess and then consumed as Prasad.
In this way, with the blessings of Mata Sheetala, the potter woman's poverty was removed, and she began living a happy and peaceful life.
Religious Significance of Sheetala Ashtami
Sheetala Ashtami is a festival dedicated to the worship of Mata Sheetala. According to religious beliefs, Mata Sheetala is regarded as the goddess who blesses devotees with good health and protects them from diseases.
On this day, devotees worship the goddess and pray for the good health of their families, especially children. The tradition of offering cold food to Mata Sheetala is one of the key features of this festival.
Cleanliness also holds special significance during Sheetala Ashtami. Traditional descriptions of the goddess include symbols such as a broom and objects associated with coolness. Therefore, along with religious faith, the festival is also associated with the message of cleanliness and health.
What Should You Do on Sheetala Ashtami?
Food for Mata Sheetala's Bhog should be prepared one day before Sheetala Ashtami. On Ashtami, take a bath in the morning, worship Mata Sheetala according to the traditional rituals and offer her cold food as Bhog.
Listening to or reading the Sheetala Mata Vrat Katha is considered auspicious. During the Puja, pray for the good health, happiness, peace and prosperity of your family. After the Puja, accept the Bhog offered to Mata Sheetala as Prasad.
Sheetala Ashtami is a special festival dedicated to the worship of Mata Sheetala. In 2027, the festival will be observed on March 30, Tuesday. The tradition on this day is to offer Mata Sheetala food prepared one day earlier and worship her according to the prescribed rituals.
According to religious beliefs, devotees worship Mata Sheetala with prayers for the health, happiness, peace and prosperity of their families. The traditions associated with Sheetala Ashtami convey not only religious faith but also the importance of cleanliness and good health.
