Sheetla Mata temple, Gurugram is a temple dedicated to the Mata Sheetla Devi, she is Kripi/Kripai/Lalitha wife of Guru Dronacharya who was the teacher of the Pandavas and Kauravas according to Indian epic Mahabharata.
Shrine’s History
The Sheetla Mata temple is dedicated to the wife of Guru Dronacharya, Kripi/Kirpai, also called Lalitha. Kirpai, also called Lalita and later Mata Sheetla, used to live in Keshopur village located in the nearby Union Territory of Delhi. Dronacharya her husband used to visit her daily at Keshopur from his Gurugram ashram. She devoted herself to look after the sick children, especially those suffering from smallpox. People called her Mata out of affection and respect. After her death, a temple was built in her honour by the villagers and she began to be remembered as Mata Sitla or Mata Masani, i.e. ‘the goddess of smallpox’.
It is said that more than three centuries ago, Masani Mother appeared in a dream to Chaudhri Singh Ram alias Singha, a fief-holder of village Gurgaon. She expressed her desire to leave Keshopur and come to Gurgaon. She made him build a place for her. Towards the south of Gurugram village lies Gurugram Bhim Kund near the temple of Dronacharya. Sheetla Mata temple lies to the north of Gurugram village. The legend goes that even after Singha had brought and installed the goddess Masani, after her own heart’s desire, at village Gurgaon, the residents of Keshopur continued to dispute the claims of Gurgaon folks.
This controversy was put to rest during the time of Begum Samru, the Governor of Jharsa under the Mughals. Her child who had contracted smallpox was cured after being consecrated in a prescribed manner before the goddess Masani at Gurgaon. It was then finally established that the goddess had begun to live at village Gurgaon. The current temple was built by the Jat king Jawahar Singh of Bharatpur state in memory of his victory over Delhi for which he had invoked the blessings of Sheetla Mata
Shrine’s Map Location and How to Go There
By Road
Gurgaon is located on the National Highway No. 8 linking Delhi to Mumbai. The Haryana Roadways runs both intercity and interstate buses. Also, Delhi Transport Corporation runs buses connecting Delhi and Gurgaon. Many other state transport corporations also run interstate buses to and from Gurgaon.
By Rail
The nearest railway station is Gurgaon Railway Station.
By Air
The nearest airport is Indira Gandhi International Airport at New Delhi, which is about 15 km from Gurgaon.
Shrine Timings
6:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Events Celebrated at This Shrine
Sheetala Ashtami: this festival is very much popular among Hindu and is dedicated to Goddess Sheetala. This festival is also known as Basoda Puja. It is celebrated on the eighth day of the Krishna during the Hindu month of Chaitra. It corresponds to the month of mid-March to April in the Gregorian calendar.
Extra Information About this Shrine
Other attractions nearby
Gurugram Bhim Kund Gurugram
Bhim Kund , also known as Pinchokhda Jhod , is a 10-acre wetland in Bhim Nagar locality of Gurgaon city of Gurgaon district in the state of Haryana in India. It lies between sector 4, 6 and 8 about 3 km from Rajiv Chowk.
Eklavya temple
There is an Eklavya temple in honour of Mahabharata fame Eklavya in Khandsa village in Sector 37 of Gurugram city in the Haryana state of India. As per folklore, this is the only temple of Eklavya and it is the place where Eklavya cut his thumb and offered to guru Drona. Locals want the government to develop a tourism circuit in honour of Drona and Eklavya.
