Shitala: A Journey Through Ancient Vaccination Practices and Timeless Wisdom
Shitala, The book’s called Shitala, and it’s named after Shitala Devi, a young goddess who’s shown riding a donkey, holding a fan, broom, and pot—basically her ride and gear. Written by Ms. Mitra Desi, Shitala is a brilliant piece about the vaccination methods that were used in ancient India. Packed with solid research from multiple sources, this 97-page historical non-fiction read is super easy to follow. And to wrap it up, the book has a detailed list of references for all the material.
The authoress used a storytelling style, kinda like our old Puranas, to share the info. The story has a deep message that’ll hit home with readers of all ages. It revolves around Tara and her grandfather, and the whole thing unfolds during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Tara’s Struggle: Challenging Tradition in the Face of Crisis
Tara’s a lively young woman who had big plans to head to the US for her studies. But then, the COVID-19 pandemic came along and messed up all her goals. Her heart breaks when she hears that her friend’s mom passed away from the virus. Like so many others, she feels angry and totally let down by the whole situation and the Indian political scene.
Her wise, chill grandfather steps in to calm her down and starts telling her about the old-school Indian vaccination methods and the devotion to Goddess Shitala Devi in different parts of the country. But Tara’s not having any of it—she totally disagrees with him and sets out to prove him wrong.
Uncovering Hidden Truths
“The best way to destroy people is to wipe out their understanding of their own history,” George Orwell famously remarked. The tone of the book is established by this quotation. Our traditions and cultural identity are in danger because foreign invaders wiped out India’s homegrown knowledge systems. In the story, Tara represents all Indians who’ve fallen victim to the lies pushed by the education system that was imposed on us by outsiders to pull us away from our roots. We often fail to look a little deeper to find and understand the raw, real truth.
We all know Holi’s a blast, but not many of us realize the significance of Shitala Ashtami, which falls on the eighth day of Holi. On that day, Goddess Shitala gets her due respect with prayers and rituals in different Indian communities. But why only during this time of year? Was the Shitala Ashtami festival tied to the time when contagious diseases were spreading? Who handled vaccinations back in the day? What was the whole process like, and how did they make sure it was safe? By the end of the book, the two main characters dig into all these questions and figure it all out.
Packed with tons of historical info and cool facts about vaccinations, all wrapped up in an engaging story, this book is super handy and makes the perfect travel buddy. It’s out in English and published by Subbu Publication House. Don’t miss out on grabbing this essential read and start decolonizing your mind by looking at things from beyond the Western-style education we’re usually fed.
