Shitala also called Sitala or Sheetala, is the Goddess of sores, pustules, ghouls and diseases. This folk goddess is worshipped by a number of faiths in northern India. Lord Shiva is her consort. Shitala Devi is believed to be the incarnation of Supreme Goddess Durga who cures pustules, poxes, ghouls, sores and diseases.
Goddess Shitala is depicted as a young maiden with four hands in which she holds a pot filled with medicinal cooling water (healing tool) or pulses (viruses) to cure diseases, a cup, a winnowing fan and a short broom and rides a donkey. The deity is worshipped on the occasion of Sheetala Asthami, which is the eighth day after Holi (the festival of colors).
It is also believed that Goddess Durga, in one of her incarnations as Durga, came as sage Katyayan’s daughter named Katyayani, to eliminate all demonic, evil and arrogant forces of the world. Goddess killed many of the demons sent by Kaalkeya.
Jwarasur – the demon of fever began spreading various diseases like smallpox, dysentery, cholera and measles that had no cure to childhood friends of Katyayani. Katyayani was successful in eliminating diseases of some of her childhood friends and took the form of Shitala Devi to relieve the world from all diseases and fevers.
In Sanskrit, Shitala means ‘the one who cools’. She is worshipped by tribal communities, Buddhists and Hindus and is called as Mata or Maa (Mother) very often. Shitala Devi is mentioned in Puranic and Tantric literature and in vernacular texts. Both Pujaris and Brahmin conduct the worship of Shitala Devi.
