Varanasi: Sheetala Ashtami (Sheetala Ashtami 2024) festival was celebrated with great pomp in the religious city of Kashi. Here, on Tuesday, on the occasion of Sheetalashtami (Basiura) festival of Mata Shitala, who cures diseases, the Namami Gange members performed the aarti of the idol of Mata Shitala at the Siddhapeeth located at Dashashwamedh Ghat.
The members offered Prasad to Mata Shitala and prayed for the complete eradication of diseases. There was a plea for long life and healthy life of children. After this, the people present at Dashashwamedh Ghat for Shitala Puja were inspired for cleanliness. An appeal was made to maintain cleanliness by cleaning the Nirmalya lying around Mata Shitala Temple.
Namami Gange team collected the polythene scattered here and there on the banks of Ganga and in the Shitala temple complex and threw it in the dustbin. Convener Rajesh Shukla said that Mother Sheetala is known as the goddess who cures diseases. Kalash, nectar, broom and neem leaves in mother’s hands are indicators of cleanliness. Mother Sheetala inspires us for cleanliness. We have performed the aarti of Mata Shitala, the disease killer, for the destruction of all diseases said a member.
