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About Basoda

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About Basoda

Basoda, also called Sheetala Ashtami, is the day of Sheetala Mata, the cool goddess who protects families from fevers and illness. It falls on the eighth day after Holi, in March or early April, and is kept in Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi.

The name comes from basi, food kept from the day before. No fire is lit in the kitchen on Basoda. The evening before, women cook sweet rice, puri, pua, gulgule, bajra roti, rabri and curd dishes, and the whole family eats this cool food the next day.

Early in the morning women go to the Sheetala Mata temple with a plate of the food, curd, haldi and water, and offer it to the goddess. She is shown riding a donkey, with a broom, a pot of cool water and neem leaves, all signs of cleanliness and healing.

Basoda comes as winter turns to summer, and it is said to be the last day of the year to eat stale food. Big fairs are held at the Sheetala Mata temples of Gurugram and Chaksu near Jaipur, and families pray for cool, healthy days ahead.

How people celebrate Basoda

  • Cooking the night before, no fire on the day
  • Sweet rice, pua, puri and gulgule
  • Curd, rabri and bajra roti
  • Morning puja at the Sheetala Mata temple
  • Haldi and water offered to the goddess
  • Fairs at Gurugram and Chaksu

How to wish well

  • Wishes for good health and cool, happy days suit Basoda best.
  • A light joke about a day off for the stove is fine with friends and family.
  • Send wishes early in the morning, when families go to the temple.
  • For colleagues and customers, a short wish for health and joy is warm and safe.

Questions about Basoda

When is Basoda?

On the eighth day of the dark half of Chaitra, eight days after Holi, in March or early April. Some families keep it a day earlier, on Saptami. The date for each year is shown on this page.

Why is stale food eaten on Basoda?

Sheetala Mata is the cool goddess, so no fire is lit and the family eats food cooked the evening before as her prasad.

Who is Sheetala Mata?

A goddess who protects families, and children most of all, from fevers, pox and illness. She carries a broom, a pot of cool water and neem leaves.

What food is made for Basoda?

Sweet rice, puri, pua, gulgule, bajra roti, rabri and curd dishes are made the evening before.

Is Basoda the same as Sheetala Ashtami?

Yes. Basoda is the common name in Rajasthan, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh for Sheetala Ashtami.

Where are the big Sheetala Mata fairs?

At the Sheetala Mata temple in Gurugram, Haryana, and at Chaksu near Jaipur, Rajasthan, among many others.

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