Magh Gupt Navratri 2026: Starting Date, Puja Vidhi, & Significance
Magh Gupt Navratri 2026: As per the Hindu calendar, there are four Navratri festivals in a year, which are Chaitra…
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Sheetala Ashtami 2026: In Hindu culture, Basoda 2026, also known as Sheetla Ashtami, holds special importance, but it is mainly celebrated across Rajasthan.
On this day, people do not cook anything, as on the day before the festival, lots of dishes, sweets, and food are prepared and kept for the next day.
On the day of the festival, followers wake up early in the morning and take a bath. First, the items are prepared one day before being offered to Goddess Sheetala, and then people consume them.
There is the ritual of eating cold food on Sheetala Ashtami; it is believed not have warm food or drinks during this ritual.
But why is this custom followed? Who is Goddess Sheetala, and what is it known for in Basoda? Lots of questions and the answer is only, Wait!
We will explain all of these things. Come with us to learn everything about Basoda 2026.
Sheetala Ashtami has another name, Basoda, which will fall this year on 11 March 2026.
The day is celebrated while preparing food one day before, on 10 March 2026. The rituals will be executed in the following time and muhurats.
| Event | Date & Time |
| Sheetala Ashtami 2026 | Wednesday, March 11, 2026 |
| Sheetala Ashtami Puja Muhurat | 06:39 AM to 06:32 PM |
| Duration | 11 Hours 53 Mins |
| Sheetala Saptami | March 10, 2026 |
| Ashtami Tithi begins | 04:23 AM on Mar 11, 2026 |
| Ashtami Tithi Ends | 05:23 AM on Mar 12, 2026 |
Sheetala Asthami, called Basoda, is a Hindu festival dedicated to Goddess Sheeta, the Goddess honoured for her capability to control and cure diseases.
Following the celebration of Holi, Sheetala Asthami is celebrated on the 8th day of the Krishna paksha.
As per our beliefs, it is observed by fasting, performing rituals, and following the rituals connected with Sheetala Ashtami, as followers achieve divine security against illness.
The deity is known as a symbol of cleanliness and well-being, and an offering made to her is thought to attain relief from many disorders.
Do you know that Sheetala Devi is mainly honoured in North India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, and West Bengal? No problem!
Basically, as the name depicts, ‘Sheetala’ or ‘Shitala’ means the one who cools down something. She is known as one of the incarnations of the powerful goddess Durga or Shakti.
The goddess is pleased to cure severe diseases like sores, pustules, ghouls, poxes, and other ailments.
She was introduced first in 17th Century Bengali text Shitala-mangal-kayas, a scripture by Manika Gangopadhyay. Various Hindu groups, tribal and Buddhists, please the Goddess.
In the northern part, the goddess has many names, such as Dayamayi, Bhagwati, Mangala, Jagrani, and Karunamayi.
However, in the southern part, Devi is known as Mariamman. Local followers of Haryana called her Shitala devi, as Kripi or the consort of Dronacharya.
According to the Skanda Purana, Goddess Sheetala is known to cure illnesses and diseases. Devotees look to Sheetala Mata to preserve the planet whenever deadly illnesses or plagues strike.
She, therefore, symbolizes her ability to purify the surroundings by holding a broom or neem twigs in one hand and a pot of medicinal fluid in the other.
The holy scripture describes the characteristics of goddess Sheetala as seated on a donkey and holding a broom in one hand, while the other hand holds a pot filled with cold water. Plus, she has a winnowing fan on her head. And wearing a garland of neem leaves.
However, these components have different meanings and relevance to natural aspects of cosmic development and value in our lives, as described below.
Initially, talking about what the broom indicates. The broom represents the cleaning of germs and removing illness.
Secondly, a winnowing fan is a sacred tool used to purify the straw from grains and is used in households.
It indicates the cleansing process by which ill people are cured and isolated from other people.
And the cold water-filled pot shows that recovering from a fever is required to heal people. Plus, neem leaves are the detailing of natural prevention with herbs and Ayurveda.
Evidently, the Goddess rides on the donkey, being humble, focused, and calm to bless the devotees.
Sheetala Ashtami comes on the eighth day of Krishna Paksha in Chaitra month, which is the first month of the Hindu calendar.
The day is considered the most auspicious day for people because it follows them to honour Goddess Sheetal for the health and abundance of their family.
The festival of Basoda is observed in the regions of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Gujarat.
Sheetala Ashtami comes the next day of Holi and is the most propitious day according to the Hindu religion.
The most significant festival, Sheetal Ashatami, called Basoda, is often described as honouring the Goddess with ‘Basa’ stale food.
On the day, followers worship deities with stale food. However, no food is prepared on this day. The name depicts Sheetala Mata as the deity of ‘the cold one.’
Hence, most of the residents cook food for the festival a day before Ashtami and digest stale food on the day after offering it to the Goddess.
It is believed that honouring the deity on the day will cure the people of diseases such as chickenpox, smallpox, et cetera, and eradicate other illnesses.
This is also said broom in the hands of Devi removes poverty at bay and encourages the growth of wealth in households.
Basoda puja, the worship of Goddess Sheetala, is often observed eight days following Holi, while some individuals choose to celebrate it on Monday or Friday following Holi.
The Basoda Puja laws state that no fire is set to prepare food on that day, and everyone who eats must consume stale food from the previous day.
For the benefit of themselves and their families, many devotees around the world observe this rite and worship Goddess Sheetala on this day.
Let’s now discover the appropriate procedures to adhere to on the day of the Basoda Puja.
Observing Sheetala Ashtami (Basoda) 2026 requires following the customs below:
1. Fasting and offering worship
Devotees keep fasting and make sure of the cleanliness of the house on Sheetala Ashtami.
Devi Sheetala is pleased with prayers, especially with fruits, milk, and sweets. People also present special prayers to the deity to bless them with protection from illness.
2. Ignore cooking on Sheetala Ashtami
The most auspicious thing to remember while celebrating Basoda is to avoid cooking on such a day.
It’s an important ritual, where family members prepare food a day before the ritual and have it the next day.
This ritual indicates simplicity and dedication to the deity and her characteristics to safeguard from illness.
3. Donation and help needy people
Donating on the day is also an important ritual of Sheetala Ashtami. People often contribute food, clothes, or even money to the needy.
This act is a way to show kindness as the Goddess does and bless the people as well.
4. Purification Rituals
Another thing about the Basoda festival is maintaining cleanliness. Individuals clean their houses and living places to worship the Goddess who shows purity and good health.
To go with the arrangements for Basoda bhog preparation, after taking into consideration the following:
Earlier, during the day of Sheetala Ashtami, an old woman and her two daughters-in-law agreed to honour the goddess and made food on the day of Saptami to have it the next day.
But they had recently given birth to sons, and hence they were worried about getting sick from consuming stale food, and also about their children getting sick due to this.
So they decided to worship the deity with an old woman, but after that, eat a warm, fresh meal apart from stale food according to ritual.
Secretly, they cook fresh and warm food for themselves and act to consume stale food for the old woman.
This made Goddess Sheetala angry, and after some time, when they went to wake their sons up to feed them. But when they reached them, they found their sons dead.
Narrating the whole story to the old woman, she got furious and expelled her daughters-in-law from the village and ordered them to come only when they got the forgiveness of the goddess and brought the boys back to life.
The older women feigned eating the stale food while covertly preparing fresh food for themselves.
Because of Goddess Sheetala’s fury, the ladies eventually went to wake their sons up with the intention of feeding them, but when they arrived at their cribs, they discovered them dead.
Once hearing the entire tale, the older mother became enraged and exiled her daughters-in-law from the community, requesting that they return only once they were able to resurrect the young boys.
Later on, the stressed women search around the lands for Goddess Sheetala in order to seek her blessings, forgive them for their mistakes, and grant life to the children.
On the way to the goddess search, they met with 2 sisters, named Ori and Sheetala, sitting under a huge tree.
They both were disturbed by the lice in their hair and tried to remove them. While both daughters-in-law saw this, they helped them out and removed all the lice from their hair.
The two sisters were satisfied after the lice were removed from their hair and blessed by saying, ‘May your wishes fulfil the way you have helped us.’
Both sisters shared that they have been searching for the goddess Sheetala to live with their children.
Heating this, one of the sisters said ‘The two of you have made mistakes, wicked and mischievous; you’re not even even knowing this.
The day of Sheetala Ashtami is performed by only consuming stale food, but you both had warm food.
The daughter-in-law knows the presence of the Goddess and seeks her forgiveness. Seeing their kind words, the Goddess forgave them and brought their children back to life.
They both came back to the village and were happily welcomed home after knowing they were blessed by Goddess Sheetala.
Since then, the importance of this day has become popular and is celebrated all over India with huge dedication.
A lot of preparations are made before performing the Sheetala ashatami. One must follow the procedures to please the deity with sincere dedication and receive her blessings.
Hence, 99Pandit brought the list of steps to execute on Basoda celebrations.
Sheetla Ashtami has a broad significance and is observed in various ways throughout the states. Basoda pooja will be celebrated by devotees in the main regions of the nation.
By paying respect to Sheetala Mata on Basoda 2026, one can stave off illnesses like smallpox, which is thought to be the goddess of sickness.
Now, let’s examine what Basoda means to various states.
Sheetala ashtami, i.e., Basoda, blesses the devotees with various benefits.
Thus, the Sheetala Ashtami 2026 holds special importance in Hindu Dharma and is best known for curing devotees’ diseases and eliminating them from all suffering.
We advise you to follow the above-mentioned details to understand the sacred day and how Goddess Sheetala blesses you with a happy and prosperous life.
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