Sunday Reading

AUGUST : A MONTH OF FESTIVALS

Festivals connect people to each other. It becomes a bridge between people that is really important in the 21st century. As we know India is a feast Country. A Country of festivals. August is known as the month of revolutionary but on the other side it is also known as the month full of religious and festivals like…

Rakshabandhan

Janmashtami

Nag Pancham

Shitla Satam

Bakri Id,

Month of lord shiva

There are uncountable festivals in August month. And every festival connected with some rituals and religious ideas and mythology. Specially Shitla Satam, Which is largely connected with misbeliefs. The task is given by Dr. Dilip Barad, HOD of English Department, Bhavnagar. (click here to read the blog)

Religion vs Science

In India there are always conflicts between religion and science. And Indian people always take the side of religion rather than science or facts. And 'Shitla Satam' is one of from these religious festivals. Which is largely connected with myth.

So the indian people blindly follow this festival but according to science Shitla is a disease. let's see the myth and facts about this....

MYTH

'Shitla Satam' in now days became a festival to Indians which is largely connected with a Indian myth. The myth is that on the શ્રાવણ વદ સાતમ no women can eat fresh and hot food for the sake of their children. And if they don't do this 'Shitla maa' becomes angry and will burn their children.

So for their children every woman blindly follow this ritual to eat cold food and do worship of 'શીતળા મા'. And there is a long story as a myth in the religious book of Hindu Dharma.

FACT :

The fact is that the Shitla(smallpox) is not any goddess but a one kind of disease. Which is in the past couldn't be cured and the treatment was not available, so children died because of this disease. So people became afraid from this dangerous disease and made this disease a Goddess and started to doing worship and a special day selected as a

'Shitala Satam'

And in india there are so many temples of this goddess Shitla. which is just an imagination.

INOCULATION - VACCINATION :

The word Inoculation, Vaccination and Immunization are often used synonymously to refer to artificial induction of immunity against various infectious diseases. inoculation originated as a method for the prevention of smallpox by deliberate introduction of material from smallpox pustules into the skin. (wikipedia)

Edward Jenner :

Edward Jenner was an English physician and scientist who was the pioneer of smallpox vaccine, the world's first vaccine. In 1798, discovered that the cowpox Inoculation - Vaccination protected a person against the smallpox.

COWPOX

In india variolation is documented from the 18th century. Dr Edward Jenner performing his first vaccination on James Phipps, a boy of age 8. May 14th, 1796.