Shitala Saatam - Religion vs Science

Welcome Readers!

Festivals play vital role in human's life. In our routine and monotonous life, festivals fill the empty gap of happiness, jubilation, and encouragement. Indian festivals are firmly connected with religion, mythology and legend stories. There are many festivals which are not directly connected with the original myth or scriptures, but still they have their space. Naag Pacham, Chhath, and Shitala Satam are such festivals. If a rational and critical thinker visits India and observes some rituals of worshiping of disease like smallpox, what impression he will take about India? Natural elements like vegetation, water, fire, air, all the seasons like, autumn, spring are majorly seen through the eye of religious thoughts. Fear is the deeply rooted feeling in the conscience of human being. Whichever thing he can't control, he submits and surrenders himself and bows in front of it. Whether it be a natural calamity or deadly disease like smallpox which we call it Shitala (શીતળા).

Here's one link of blog about this topic, posted by Dr. Dilip Barad.
Click Here to visit blog.

What's in the air ?

Shitala (smallpox) was once a deadly and incurable disease, which is now fully curbed. One pioneered the idea of vaccination in the medical field, none other than Edward Jenner was the first to find the cure of smallpox from cowpox. Iron cuts iron. The disease of cowpox became the vaccine of smallpox. Jenner experimented this for the first time in 1796. At that time, Indians were worshiping this deadly disease as Mataji (Goddess), because it was incurable. There is also one rational idea that eating cold food like curd, buttermilk, hotchpotch, cold roti, thepla, helps with deficiency of vitamin B12. But of course for Indians it was not followed with intention to cure the deficiency but to be saved from the wrath of Shitala Maa.

Edward Jenner (1749-1823) and cowpox infected udder of cow, human arm (Source: Wikipedia)

Edward Jenner performing his first vaccination to James Phipps (14th May 1796)

Here's one link of article, which will break many misconceptions and will demolish the 'excessive pride', which Indians take about curbing the disease on first hand. Click here to read the article. When we see falsified manifestation of any visible object and yet people, by becoming sheeple, blindly follow the lead, somewhere in the corner truth is being revealed in the form of articles and write-ups. Just a little ray of light, enlightens the dark corner and we find the truth that bring awareness.

Awareness is All

While India was busy in worshiping this Shitala Mataji, people in Britain were afraid of taking the cowpox vaccine, which was the cure to smallpox. This image is mocking at the fear of people, who are imagining that they will grow cow heads on their bodies. At least this fear of people was good rather than worshiping the disease as Goddess. Even after having the fear, they are sitting there to take the vaccine.

If people will not be aware of the current diseases, then how will rumors be stopped ? In the 21st century people should think every aspect with multidimensional views. In this image we can see how Edward Jenner is doing good karma by advising a farmer to vaccinate his family. Unless we start thinking, re-looking on issues, our minds will always be captured by such fake mentalities and will never be free from 'Conditioning'. Let's be hopeful that India will be fully free from superstitions and let's spread this thought to people. Let's be aware together.

Citations: Images from Wikipedia