MA SHEETLA adalpur wali

In Hinduism, Goddess
Shitala, or Sheetala Mata,
is considered an aspect of
Shakti. Popularly she is
the Hindu goddess of
small pox in North India
and is known to spread
the dreaded disease and
cure it. In rural India, she
is also considered as an
incarnation of Goddess
Parvati and Durga, which
are two forms of Shakti.
Goddess Shitala is popular
as Mariamman in Tamil
Nadu. She is undoubtedly
one of the most popular
rural deities and her origin
can be traced to the days
of Nature Worship.
Legend has it that
Goddess Shitala wears a
red-colored dress and
rides around the villages
in North India on a
donkey (ass) and inflicting
people with the dreaded
pox – small pox, chicken
pox etc. Symbolically, she
represents Nature ’s
power
of generating viruses
causing disease and
Nature ’s healing power
and is of tribal origin. She
is depicted having four
hands. In her four hands
she carries a silver
broom, winnow fan,
small bowl and a pitcher
with Gangajal, holy water
from River Ganga.
Occasionally, she is
depicted with two hands
carrying a broom and
pitcher. Symbolically,
Goddess Sheetala idol also
emphasizes the need for
cleanliness.
According to Puranas,
Shitala, the cooling one,
was created by Lord
Brahma. She was
promised by Brahma that
she will be worshipped as
a Goddess on earth but
she should carry the
seeds of lentils. In folktales
in North India, the lentil is
‘ Urad dal.’ She then asked
for a companion and she
was directed to Lord
Shiva, who blessed her
and created Jvara Asura
(the fever demon). It is
said that he was created
from the sweat of Lord
Shiva.
Shitala and Jvara Asura
remained in Devaloka
along with other gods and
goddess. They used a
donkey to transport the
lentils to wherever they
went. But the lentil seeds
one day turned into
smallpox germs and start
to spread the disease
among gods and
goddesses. Finally, fed up
with Goddess Shitala,
gods asked her to go and
settle in heaven where she
will be worshipped.
Shitala and Jvara Asura
came down to earth and
started hunting for a place
to stay.
They went to the court of
King Birat, an ardent
devotee of Shiva. He
agreed to worship her
and give a place in his
kingdom but she will not
get the respect given to
Shiva. An angry Shitala
demanded supremacy
over all other gods and
when King Birat did not
budge. She spread
different kinds of pox on
the land and finally, the
King had to agree to her
wishes. Soon the disease
and all its after effects
were miraculously cured.
The most important
festival dedicated to her
takes place in Chaitra
month, the Ashtami day
after Purnima (full moon)
in the month is observed
as Sheetala Ashtami.
There are famous temples
gudgaw haryana, chaukia
jaunpur,adalpura
mirzapur,shetla ghat
varanasi.
from-goddes blog