Sheetala Mata

Continue walking southwards from Hathivalu Derasar for about 50 m and turn left into a lane between a row of houses. Follow the lane to reach Sheetala Mata temple.

This temple is dedicated to one of the most fascinating goddesses in the Indian tradition, Sheetala Mata. Unlike the great gods who are believed to shape the fate of the universe, this folk goddess has a quieter presence. She’s the one who watches over the everyday concerns of ordinary people.

Devotees come to her to ward off diseases like measles and chickenpox. Her name, Sheetala, means ‘the one who cools’… or ‘the one who calms.’ In traditional belief, diseases such as smallpox and measles were considered to be the result of excessive heat in the body. And so, healing was all about cooling, soothing, restoring balance. That is what this goddess does.

She is widely worshipped across rural India. And she has a southern counterpart, goddess Mariamman, who plays a similar role and is deeply revered in villages of south India.

Her shrines are modest, like this one, yet they inspire a deep faith. This temple is believed to have been built during the 10th century CE, and has been renewed many times over the centuries. Notice the dome shaped roof, and the ceilings adorned with folk and religious art.

In artistic depictions, Sheetala Mata is often shown with four arms. She rides a humble donkey, and in her hands she carries simple, everyday objects: a broom to sweep away impurities, a pot of cooling water, sometimes a fan to drive disease away and neem leaves known for their antiseptic properties. Even today, neem leaves continue to be used in rituals for healing.

Sheetala Mata’s worship peaks during seasonal transitions, times when diseases spread most easily. She is especially worshipped by women and is seen as a guardian of children. Festivals like Sheetala Saptami are uniquely hers. On that day, people do not light fires; instead, they consume cold food cooked a day earlier. After all, she is the goddess of coolness!

In Gujarat, she is part of a wider world of village goddesses, alongside deities like Sikotara Mata and Harsiddh Mata, each one responding to a specific fear or a specific hope. Over time, as traditions evolved, this local goddess came to be seen as another manifestation of Shakti or Parvati.