Basoda 2023 is one of the most important and popular festivals which is celebrate usually eight days after the Holi festival. There are certain communities that celebrate the festival on the coming Thursday or Monday just after the Holi festival. The day is of great importance, especially in the northern regions of India and especially in the states of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.
When is Basoda 2023 celebrated?
According to the Hindu calendar, Basoda is held on Ashtami day (the eighth day) during Krishna Paksha in the month of Chaitra. According to the Gregorian calendar, the day falls in April or March.
Basoda is celebrating when the weather changes and hence this particular period is also consider the beginning of the summer season. A number of changes occur during this period and there are many diseases and infections that can be cause by such a change in weather. Goddess Sheetala blesses the devotees and provides protection from such contagious diseases.
When is Basoda 2023 celebrate?
Basoda 2023, Also known as Sheetla Ashtami. It is celebrate on Wednesday, 15 March 2023
- Basoda Puja Muhurta: 06:31 am to 06:29 pm
- Starts: 14 March 2023 at 08:22 pm
- The date ends: 15 March 2023 at 06:45 pm
What is the Significance of Basoda?
In the maximum part of the country, the festival is celebrate in the name of Sheetala Ashtami. On this day, devotees worship Sheetla Mata and pray for good health and protection from epidemic diseases. She is believe to be the goddess of smallpox and worshipping her on this day protects devotees from such afflictions.
What are the rituals of Basoda 2023 Puja?
The term Basoda literally means ‘Basi’ or ‘Stale’. According to Hindu rituals, lighting a fire in the kitchen on the day of Sheetala Ashtami is strictly prohibit. People prepare a complete meal one day before this day and consume the same on the next day i.e. Basoda. All meals on that day consist only of stale food and nothing freshly cooked or baked can be consume in any form. Some special flavours like Sweet Chilla, Gulgule etc are prepare to celebrate Basoda.
How is Basoda celebrated?
Basoda is celebrate differently in different regions. Below are some of the prominent places where the festival is celebrate with great pomp and fervour:
Rajasthan:
In almost all parts of Rajasthan, the festival is observe with great fervour and enthusiasm. Special and tasty dishes are prepare for this day. A number of fairs and events are also organize in rural parts of the state. People attend fairs and celebrate festivals. Goddess Sheetla is worship and devotees offer various food items like Gulgule, Roti, Poori, Ker-Sangri, Malpua, Karva, Rabdi etc.
Madhya Pradesh:
In Madhya Pradesh too, the festival is celebrate with great passion and warmth. A special event is held at Sheetla Mata Shakti Dham in MP where a fair is held. A huge number of devotees participate in the celebration and even tourists from different places visit the place during Basoda festival celebrations.
Gujarat:
In the Gujarat region, people worship and pray to Sheetla Mata and enjoy and celebrate the festival with great enthusiasm. Special foods are prepare in honour of Goddess Sheetla, which are later consume by the devotees themselves in the form of Bhog.
What is Basoda Vrat Katha?
On the auspicious day of Basoda, devotees worship Goddess Sheetala by reciting her Katha (story). Special mantras are also chanted to please Sheetala Mata and attain her divine blessings.
According to the Skanda Purana, Goddess Sheetla is consider to be both the solution and the cause. She is the goddess of epidemics like smallpox. A legend associated with the Basoda festival and Goddess Sheetala states that Sheetala Mata originates from the sacrificial fire. She was bless by Lord Brahma that people will always worship her until she carries the seeds of a particular lentil (Urad Dal) with her. Once she was visiting various other deities and there all the seeds turned into harmful smallpox germs. And then whomever the Goddess visited got smallpox and fever.
The deities asked her to visit Earth with these bacteria. Goddess Sheetla went to Earth where she first arrived in the kingdom of King Birat. Being a firm worshiper of Lord Shiva, the king offered her a place where she could be worship but refuse to give Sheetala Mata the highest place above Lord Shiva. Sheetla Mata became enraged angry, so she released about seventy-five different types of smallpox. Due to this, a huge number of people were affect and many of them also died. At this King, Birat realized his mistake and asked the goddess for forgiveness. After that, the goddess healed all the people. Therefore, it is believe that Basoda fast must be observe and stale food must be consume on Basoda day to please Sheetala Mata.
So let’s worship Goddess Mata Sheetla on the auspicious day of the Basoda festival and follow all the rituals of the day. Get bless with the divine blessings of the deity to stay healthy and fit.
