Sheetala Ashtami, शीतला अष्टमी, Basoda Puja Rituals, Importance, Fasting Process

• Vaibhava Nath Sharma

जानिए शीतलाष्टमी व्रत व बसीयउरा, बसोड़ा पूजन का सम्पूर्ण विधि विधान......
शीतलाष्टमी चैत्र मास के कृष्ण पक्ष की अष्टमी को मनायी जाती है। इसमें शीतला माता का व्रत और पूजन किया जाता है। शीतला अष्टमी व्रत को करने से व्यक्ति के सारे परिवार में दाह ज्वर, पीत ज्वर, दुर्गन्ध से युक्त फोड़े, आंखों के सारे रोग, माता की फुंसियों के निशान तथा शीतलाजनित सारे दोष ठीक हो जाते हैं।

Sheetla Ashtami is one of the most important Hindu festivals. Sheetla mata is worshipped on this day. . It is celebrated a few days after Holi. Devi Sheetla's puja begins on the day of Krishna Paksha's Ashtami tithi in the Chaitra month.Sheetla mata is worshipped on this day. Cold and stale food is offered to Sheetla Devi after the puja. This food is known as Basauda. The same food is consumed by the devotees and distributed among everyone.
Basauda is distributed among the devotees after Sheetla mata's worship. Devotees ask for blessings from Sheetla mata. Sheetla Ashtami is also known as Basauda in northern India. Consuming stale food is stopped after this day. It is believed that worshipping Sheetla mata relieves a person from all his problems and diseases like Dahajwar, Pitajwar, smallpox, smelling boils, eye problems etc.
Nothing is cooked in a house on the day of Sheetla mata's worship. She is worshipped on the day of Krishna Paksha's Ashtami in Chaitra, Vaishakh, Jyeshtha and Aashadh months. Hence, these days are also known as Sheetlashtami. In the present times, Sheetla devi's worship gives a messages for a hygienic and clean surrounding.