Sheetla Mata Fair, Jaipur

The Sheetla Mata Festival
Sheetla Ashtami Fair, Jaipur

Sheetla Mata fair is a pilgrimage to appease the Shitla Mata. The belief in this area of Rajasthan is that the deity if not pleased causes small pox epidemic. The deity Sheetla Mata is represented by a red stone.

Attractions of the Festival

Held on Sheetla Ashtami day in the month of Chaitra, i.e. March April every year, the fair in Jaipur is quite big, attended by nearly one lakh people. The current temple at the location of the fair, Seel-Ki-Doongri in Jaipur Rajasthan is believed to have been erected by Maharaja Madho Singh of Jaipur.

Sheetla Mata is a Puranic goddess. The word 'Sheetla' comes from sheetal meaning calm. The belief is that Sheetla Mata appears in the form of small pox to calm the sufferer after he had been afflicted with high fever.

A cattle fair also comes up at the same time and the atmosphere is that of a picnic. Rajasthani folk attend this in large numbers with their camels and beautifully decorated bullock carts. Trade is carried out in clothes, shoes, food items, utensils and agricultural implements.

Lasting for a week, bullocks, horses and camels are traded at the fair and awards are given to the best breeders.