Sheetala Devi Temple
Sheetala Devi Temple is a holy place of Hindus. It is sited at the village of Gurgoan which is in Delhi (India). It is worshipped and visited in the honour of Mata Sheetala Devi. It is called as Shakti peeth. Another name of Sheetala Devi Temple is Masani Maa and Bhagat Lalita Maa. The word Sheetla signifies the disease of smallpox which is rooted out by the true worship and faith towards Sheetala Mata. The mundan ceremony of children uses to take place here according to which, hairs which are cut out are offered at the platform where deity of mata is placed. New married couples also visited this temple for offering prayer to Sheetala Mata and in return they are blessed for happy married life. This shrine is erected near a pond.
Getting There
One can reach Sheetala Devi Temple by mean of three modes: road, rail and air. There is a good bus network which connects the Gurgoan to many stations and also Gurgoan to many other cities. The Railway Station which is near to this temple is Gurgaon Railway station and the metro station which is near to this shrine is Iffco Chowk Metro station. The nearest airport which carries out the journey through air is IGI airport.
Security And Some Tips
There are many security services at Gurgoan which are provided to people for safety and protection. These security services are Group Nine Security, Drb Manpower Solution Pvt Ltd, Sai Security Force Pvt Ltd, Karm Security Solutions, Drb Manpower Solution Pvt Ltd and Abss Securitas Pvt Ltd etc. Yatris should not carry cash and ornaments with them. They should keep their luggage at safe and secure place.
When To Visit
The best time to visit the temple of Sheetala Devi is during the month of July-August. It is opened for all the days of the week. Its timings are: 6:00 to 8:00 PM. The duration of visiting the temple is 1 to 2 hours. There is no entry fee for visiting the temple.
What To See And Do
The outside area of the temple is occupied by the two shops which provide the things of sacred offerings. After entering the gate there is a solid track which takes the devotees towards the shrine. A large number flocked towards the shrine which can be handled by to its wide entrance. The temple consists of two ends in which one end entails a well maintained garden and another end entails a small structure having other idols. After entering the main shrine there is a big hall where there exists a place for devotees to get seated and a small room for the presiding deity of the Sheetla Devi. The idol of mata has a polish of gold and is decorated with beautiful garments and jewels. The special attraction of the deity is its huge nose ring. People provide sacred offerings which are taken by the Hindu priest and they distribute them as Prasad. Sweets and food are offered as Prasad.
Where To Stay
There are many dharamshalas at Gurgoan which provide stay at affordable prices. These dharamshalas are: Barat Ghar, Aggarwal Dharamshala, Sindhi Panchayat Dharamshala, Vaishsamaj Dharamshala and Aggarwal Dharamshala etc.
Where Else To Stay
There are many hotels in Gurgoan which provide luxury to devotees. These hotels are: New Ashiyana – I, OYO Rooms IFFCO Chowk, OYO Rooms by Laxmi Villa, OYO Rooms Sohna Extension and Trident etc.
Festivals
The festival of Masani Fair use to take place within the shrine of Sheetla Devi. During this festival a fair is organized which comprises dances, dramas, folk songs and cultural functions and prayers are offered for curing the disease of small pox. The festival of Sheetla Astami is celebrated every year at this shrine in which holy water mixed with milk, cooked food and sweets are offered to goddess. Songs and dances are performed during this festival.
Side Trips
There are many places to visit around Sheetla Devi Temple. These places are akhand param dham mandir, Baba Shiv Mandir, Deepa Ashram Church of Missionaries, Choti Mata Mandir and radha krishna mandir.
Travel Tips
Yatris should take video camera with them in order to trap each and every activity of the whole trip. They should also take a personal diary for having the written record of the whole trip along with the feelings and emotions at that period of time. They should also hire a tourist guide for having the complete knowledge of the shrine including its history. They should also take first aid for curing frequent injury.
Hence, the place to get blessed and get cured from the disease of small pox is Sheetala Devi Temple
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