Women folk from Rajasthani community performed Sheetala Puja at Bisilumaramma Temple in Janatha Nagar here recently.

This is a special puja performed by Rajasthani community ladies, to please the Goddess. Basoda Puja is dedicated to Goddess Sheetala and is performed on Krishna Paksha Ashtami after Holi.

Basoda, also known as Sheetala Ashtami usually falls after eight days of Holi, but many people observe it on the first Monday or Thursday after Holi. Sheetala Ashtami is more popular in North Indian States like Gujarat, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.

According to Basoda customs, families do not light fire for cooking but cook food one day before and consume stale food on Sheetala Ashtami day. It is believed that Goddess Sheetala controls smallpox, chickenpox, measles, etc. and people worship her to ward off those diseases.

This puja was performed specially by singing devotional songs and by performing Panchamrutam abhishekha.