In search of Devi Sitala and her Innovative/ দেবী শীতলা ও শীতলার আখ্যান : উৎস সন্ধানে

Abstract

The paper discusses religious and cultural narratives about Godess Sitala, ‘Deity of Diseases’. Sitala There are various texts written in the 17th and 18th centuries as Mangalkavya elaborated Sitala Saga.

          She was the goddess of smallpox appeared in different Sanskrit ayurvedic medical texts and Puranas. Sitala, has a history that spans across different states and regions of India and can be traced back to the middle-ages. The worship of Sitala is not restricted to India alone but can be observed in Nepal, Bangladesh and the Punjab province of Pakistan. There are many arguments and controversies regarding the origin and characteristics of this goddess. Researchers mentioned She is the Puranic version of ‘Apodevi’ the Vedic goddess of Water. In different Puranic texts she is claimed to be able to solve poverty and misfortune, and can also cure children's diseases, Scholars like Hara Prasad Shastri and Dinesh Chandra Sen argue that the deity ‘Hariti’ or ‘Parnashabari’ found in Buddhist Tantra later became ‘Sitala’. Though the history of Her origin is fraught with controversies, based on numerous evidences, it can be stated that it is rooted in the folk traditions of lower-caste, marginal communities like Dom, Shabar, Hadi, Lodha, Chandal and so on. There are also varying customs and rituals regarding how she is worshipped and her idols are made in different regions.

          In Bengal, a literary tradition known as 'Sitala Mangal' has developed which celebrates and praises the heroics and exploits of Goddess Sitala. Many poets like Krishnaram Das, Nityananda Chakraborty, Sri Krishna Kinkar and Manikram Ganguly have written the different 'palas' (episodes) of Sitala Mangal.

          It must be acknowledged that when it comes to the preservation of our heritage and the study of our history and traditions, Sitala Mangal remain very relevant and significant. The popularity and preponderance of Mangal kavyas like 'Dharma Mangal', 'Mansa Mangal' and 'Chandi Mangal' in our literary circles have resulted in unjustified neglect and ignorance of some other precious Mangal kavyas like ‘Sitala Mangal’, ‘Ganga Mangal’, ‘Lakshmi Mangal’ and so on. In all these lesser-known and often overlooked Mangal kavyas, one can find original and insightful depictions of social and cultural realities of earlier eras. Even though progress in medical science has made it possible to uproot the once deadly small pox, Goddess Sitala is still worshipped with the same zest in all over India.