Goddess Shitala Mata Sculpture is a unique in depth & detailed carving in brass metal. The worship of Shitala is conducted by both Brahmins and pujaris. She is primarily worshiped in the dry seasons of winter and spring.
Maa Shitala is represented as a young maiden crowned with a winnowing-fan, riding a donkey, holding a short broom (either to spread or dust off germs) and a pot full of pulses (the viruses) or cold water (a healing tool). Among low-caste Hindus and tribal communities, she is represented with slab-stones or carved heads. Sometimes, she is said to be carrying a bunch of neem (Azadirachta indica) leaves, a medicinal herb used throughout India since ancient times that is believed by some to be an effective remedy to most skin diseases to this day.
Goddess Shitala is the form of folk demi-goddess Katyayani. She gives coolness to the patients of fever. According to Devi Mahatyam when a demon named Jvarasura gave bacterial fever to all the children, goddess Katyayani came in the form of Shitala to purify children`s blood and to destroy the bacteria of fever in blood. In Sanskrit 'Jwar' means "fever" and 'Shital' means "coolness". Shitala is sometimes also depicted with Jvarasura, the fever demon; Ghentu-debata, the god of skin diseases; Raktabati, the goddess of blood infections and the sixty-four epidemics; and is often worshiped with Oladevi, another disease goddess (some say of cholera).
Make: Made in brass for worship and home decor.
Brass is well known for its grasping capacity. It grasps the divine spirit upto 30%, when compared to other metals. The spiritual vibrations are attracted towards these shining idols easily.
Dimensions: 6.5 inches (H) x 4 inches (W) x 2.25 inches (depth) (16.5 x 10 x 6 cm) approx
Weight: 1.14 kgs approx
Importance of Idol worship: Idols are not the idle fancies of sculptors,but shining channels through which the heart of the devotee is attracted to and flows towards God. Though the image is worshipped,the devotee feels the presence of the Lord in it and pours out his devotion unto it.Regular worship, Puja and other modes of demonstrating our inner feeling of recognition of Divinity in the idol unveils the Divinity latent in it.This is truly a wonder and a miracle.The picture comes to life.The idol speaks.It will answer your questions and solve your problems.The God in you has the power to awaken the latent Divinity in the idol.The lives of Mirabai, Sant Tukaram, Shri Ramakrishna Paramhansa and Shri Yogananda are a few instances to prove the point.They proved beyond doubt that idol worship has its own brighter side and through simple faith and intense devotion one can realize God through it.
Idols are the "finite representation of the Infinite".As per Vishnu Samhita (ch 29, v 55-7), persuasively endorses the use of imagery (idols) and puts it:"Without a form how can God be mediated upon? If (He is) without any form, where will the mind fix itself? When there is nothing for the mind to attach itself to,it will slip away from meditation or will glide into a state of slumber.Therefore the wise will meditate on some form, remembering, however,that the form is a superimposition and not a reality."