In today’s post let us see the significance of Basoda. It is celebrated as a main festival in many parts of North India such as Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan. This festival comes after Holi, it is usually marked on the 8th day after Holi and some communities celebrate this festival on the following Monday or Thursday after Holi. Basoda in Hindi is referred to ‘Basi’, which means stale, this festival is also known as Sheetla Ashtami. This festival is celebrated to signify the change in weather that is starting of the summer season.

A unique tradition is followed on the day of Basoda, people prefer to eat the food cooked on the previous day during this festival as they won’t lit fire in their kitchens during this festival. Hence the families enjoy cold lunch as well as dinner. People worship Mata Sheetla on this festival and pray for the well being of their family and to save their family from the upcoming harmful diseases in the following season, it is also believed that Goddess Mata Sheetla save the devotees from diseases like small pox, chicken pox, measles etc.

On this day, devotees read Goddess Mata Sheetla’s story, mantras are recited to gratify the Goddess, the food prepared one day before the festival is distributed as prasaad (holy gift) in the temples.Thus Basoda is a unique festival celebrated by the North Indians.

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To get Goddess Mata Sheetla’s darshan watch this video.