Sitala

Sitala

The Cool One

ALSO KNOWN AS:

Sitlamata (literally “Mother Sitala”); Shitala

ORIGIN:

India

Sitala was the youngest of her many spirit sisters, born considerably later, and so human beings paid little attention to her. Frustrated and determined to force humans to create rituals in her honor, Sitala invented smallpox. The tactic worked. She is among India’s most popular spirits, internationally as well.

A modern legend suggests that as incidence of smallpox declined, people stopped venerating Sitala so she upped the ante and produced AIDS. Sitala is now as closely identified with AIDS as with smallpox and is credited with causing, preventing, and healing that disease.

Sitala and her sisters preside over pustular diseases. Sitala’s specialty is smallpox: she both causes and prevents the disease. But like that other renowned smallpox spirit, Babalu Ayé, Sitala transcends being only a disease spirit. She protects and provides for devotees in all facets of life and is particularly invoked to make sterile women fertile.

Disease spirits are among the scariest and most difficult to understand. Those whom she favours find Sitala benevolent.

• If you have survived smallpox, you may consider yourself already under her protection.

• If your family has a history of smallpox or the disease holds some personal significance to you, you may consider your first connection made.

Sitala’s devotees consider smallpox to be akin to spiritual possession. They are literally touched and inhabited by Sitala. Vaccinations do not offend her: Sitala’s priests performed primitive forms of smallpox vaccination prior to the advent of the modern vaccine.

Sitala is dangerous when she heats up (as with fever). The goal when working with her is to keep her cool. During festivals and rituals in her honor, heating food is forbidden. This includes both foods that intrinsically possess a heating effect upon the body such as hot peppers as well as food that has been warmed up. Rice must be eaten cold. Cooling foods are consumed by people and offered to Sitala. One abstains from all activities that heat up the body. Sexual activity is minimal during the festivities but may be resumed at your pleasure afterwards.

Manifestations:

Her most famous manifestation is as smallpox. But smallpox is only a manifestation of Sitala, not an essential characteristic. She also appears as a woman dressed in red. Sitala roams the countryside, riding a donkey, searching out victims.

ATTRIBUTE:

Broom (sometimes a silver broom), winnowing fan, pot of water

COLOUR:

Red

Tree:

Neem

Time:

An annual festival is held around March.

Sacred site:

She has several shrines and temples throughout northern India where she is served by a female priesthood. Her true home is the body of the patient for the duration of the disease. Position her altar toward the northeast.

OFFERINGS:

Flowers and cooling foods such as cold rice, coconuts, cucumbers, plantains, and yogurt.

SEE ALSO:

Babalu Ayé; Jari-Mari; Mariamman; T’ou Chen Niang Niang

SOURCE:

Encyclopedia of Spirits: The Ultimate Guide to the Magic of Fairies, Genies, Demons, Ghosts, Gods & Goddesses – Written by : Judika Illes Copyright © 2009 by Judika Illes.