Maa Sheetla Devi Temple

Sheetla Mata is the swaroop of Maa Parvati.
Skanda Purana describes a legend related to Sheetla Mata, in which it is told that Sheetla Devi was born from Brahmaji.
Sheetla Mata is considered to be the form of Lord Shiva’s consort Shakti. According to the legend, Maa Sheetla Devi had come to live in the kingdom of King Virat on earth with Jwarasura (a demon made from the sweat of Lord Shiva).
Maa Sheetla became angry with this behavior of the king, due to the fire of Sheetla Mata’s anger, red spots appeared on the skin of the king’s people present in the Kingdom.
People’s skin started burning with heat. Then King Virat apologized for his mistake, after that the king offered raw milk and cold lassi to Goddess Sheetla, then Mother Sheetla’s anger calmed down. Since then the tradition of offering cold dishes to Mother Goddess is going on especially
on the Ashtami Tithi.
According to the Devi Mahapurana, when Jwarausra gave bacterial fever to the small children, Maa Sheetla arrived to purify the blood of small children and also freed them of the fever-causing-bacteria.
Maa Sheetla Devi resides with Ashta Bhuji swaroop i.e devi with Eight hands holding Trishul, Broom, Chakra, a Jar of Water, Neem leaves, Shankh and Vard Mudra.
Maa Sheetla Devi symbolizes devi ensuring overall Protection, Good health, fortune and power.

Maa Sheetla Devi is the presiding deity on the Dashashwamedh Ghat since time immemorial. It is believed that the Sheetla Devi Temple has been situated here before the arrival of Maa Ganga in Kashi.
Bhagwan Brahma ji established the temple of Sheetla Devi here during his performance of Das Ashwamedh Yagya. Sheetla Devi is one of the most famous and celebrated Hindu goddesses.
Mata Sheetla is also known as the presiding deity of Purvanchal. In Sheetla-temples, Mata Sheetla is often shown seated on the neck. It is believed that by worshiping the Maa Sheetla, one can get rid of infections and diseases like smallpox, measles. Since the time of Covid Pandemic there is a lot of possibility of outbreak of infectious diseases during the change of season. That’s why to avoid these diseases, the devotees should regularly worship Maa Sheetla Devi, so that their and their families body remain healthy and intact.

1. Mahadev liked Kashi so much that he asked Vishnuji for Kashi Puri for his daily abode. Since then Kashi became the favorite abode of Bhagwan Mahadev.
2. It is believed that Lord Vishnu while giving a boon to Sage Agni Bindu, had said that he would be known as Adi Madhav in Satya Yuga, Anand Madhav in Treta Yuga, Sri Madhav in Dwapar Yuga and Bindu Madhav in Kali Yuga.
3. Shri Bindu Madhav is also known as the Kshetra Devta of Kashi, his darshan is important for the completion of a devotee’s Yatra in Kashi.
4. Shri Bindu Madhav Darshan is the first landmark in the Sodash Vishnu Yatra and also the 64 Vishnu Yatra in Kashi.

ॐ ह्रीं श्रींशीतलायैनमः Chanting this Beej mantra of Maa Sheetla Devi not only gives freedom from all troubles but also increases respect, status, and dignity in the society.
It is believed that those devotees who worship Maa Sheetla daily with devotion, are blessed with health, wealth, fortune, and success. Their troubles are destroyed and their enemies are defeated. Apart from this, in Skanda Purana, the hymn of worship Maa is “Sheetalashtak”.

According to mythological texts, this stotra was composed by Lord Shankar himself for the welfare of the people. The worship of Maa Sheetla Devi is celebrated with great pomp in the states of Central India and North East.

1. Maa Sheetla Devi Temple opens up at 5:30 am in the morning. The Mangala Aarti Darshan goes up to 6:00 am in the morning after which the Darshan gets opened for the General Devotees.
2. The 2nd Aarti performed in Maa Sheetla Devi Temple is the Bhog Aarti which starts at 11:30am in the morning which gets over at around 1:00pm.
3. The 3rd Aarti performed in Maa Sheetla Devi Temple is the Saptarishi Aarti which starts at 7:15pm in the evening.
4. The 4th Aarti performed in the Sheetla Devi Temple is the Night Shringar Aarti which starts at 9:00pm.
5. The Fifth and Final Aarti performed in the Sheetla Devi Temple is Night Sayan Aarti which starts at 11:00pm in the nighttime.
The Darshan hour for the normal devotees ranges from 6:00 am in the morning to 11:00 pm in
the night during the course of which 5 Aarti’s are performed in the Temple.

Chaitra Navratri
Chaitra Sheetla Ashtami
Vaishakh Purnima
Vaishakh Sheetla Ashtami
Jyestha Sheetla Ashtami
Ashad Sheetla Ashtami
Shardiya Navratri
Shravan Saptami
Karthik Purnima
Annakut Festival

Generally, Maa Sheetla Devi is worshiped on the Ashtami of Chaitra Krishna Paksha. The puja vidhi for the worship of Bhagwati Sheetla is also special. A day before Shitalashtami, stale food i.e. Basoda is prepared to offer them.
On the day of Ashtami, only the stale material is offered as Naivedya to the Goddess and distributed as Prasad among the devotees. In North India, the festival of Shitalashtami is also known as Basoda. It is believed that from this day onwards stale food should not be eaten. This is the last day of the season when stale food can be eaten.

1. According to Skanda Purana, Maa Sheetla Devi is the goddess of disease like smallpox, she holds kalash, soup, marjan (broom) and neem leaves in her hands and sits on her neck in fearless posture.
2. Jwarasur, the demon of fever, the goddess of cholera, sixty-four diseases, Ghentukarna, the god of skin diseases and Raktavati Devi resides along with Maa Shitla Devi. Their urn contains virus or cool, healthy and germicidal water in the form of lentils.
3. It is said that Maa Sheetla Devi is Shakti incarnate and she is the life partner of Lord Shiva.
4. According to Shastras, Mother Sheetla originated from Lord Brahma.
5. In Skanda Purana, his archana stotra has been expressed in the name of Shitalashtak. It is believed that Shitalashtak stotra was composed by Lord Shiva himself for public welfare.
6. Devotees from all the states of the country come here to pray in the Sheetla Devi Temple. The story of Sheetla Mata Temple here is related to the Mahabharata period.
7. Cleanliness is taken full care of in Maa Sheetla Devi worship. In this special worship, a day before Shitalashtami, a bhog basoda of stale food is used to offer bhog to the goddess.
8. Among Hindu fasts, only the fast of Shitalashtami is such that stale food is eaten. Its detailed mention is found in Puranas. The temple of Sheetla Mata is situated near the banyan tree. Vat is also worshiped after the worship of Sheetla Mata.
9. It is an ancient belief that the women of the house who observe this fast with a pure heart, that family is kept away from natural calamities by being filled with wealth and grains by Maa Sheetla Devi.
10. Fresh food is not prepared at home on this day. Food is prepared and kept a day in advance. Then on the second day in the morning, after worshiping Maa Sheetla Devi by the women, all the people of the house eat stale food. The house where someone is ill with smallpox should not observe this fast.