Sheetala Ashtami, also called Basoda, falls on Monday, 29 March 2027 in Dubai and across the UAE, eight days after Holi. The day is dedicated to Goddess Sheetala, worshipped for health, hygiene and protection from disease, and is marked by a puja followed by a meal of food cooked the day before rather than freshly on the day itself.
Sheetala Ashtami 2027 UAE Date and Muhurat
Sheetala Ashtami falls on the Krishna Paksha Ashtami of Chaitra month, the eighth lunar day after Holi. Here are the UAE-timed dates and muhurat, set for Dubai rather than carried over from an Indian panchang site.
| Event | Dubai Date | Timing |
|---|---|---|
| Sheetala Saptami | Sunday, 28 March 2027 | Cook the day's food, no fire lit next day |
| Sheetala Ashtami (Basoda) | Monday, 29 March 2027 | Puja muhurat 3:40 PM - 6:34 PM |
| Ashtami Tithi begins | Monday, 29 March 2027 | 3:40 PM |
| Ashtami Tithi ends | Tuesday, 30 March 2027 | 6:09 PM |
The puja muhurat runs just under three hours, in the afternoon and early evening of 29 March. These are UAE local timings, and they differ from the windows published on Indian panchang sites since sunrise and moonrise are both calculated for Dubai. Sharjah, Ajman and Abu Dhabi sit close enough to Dubai that the figures above cover the whole UAE.
Puja muhurat and tithi window, both set to UAE local time.
Sheetala Ashtami in the UAE
Sheetala Saptami, the day the Basoda food is cooked, falls on a Sunday this year, a UAE weekend day, which gives families time to prepare the full spread of curd, rice, halwa, puri and other dishes without a workday to rush through. Sheetala Ashtami itself falls on a Monday, a working day across the UAE, and since no fire is lit for cooking on this day, the meal eaten is whatever was made the previous evening, kept and served cold or at room temperature. Some families in the UAE keep a home puja rather than visiting a temple in person, given the distances involved, and use the same order of offerings.
Why Sheetala Ashtami Is Celebrated
Sheetala Ashtami's story centres on a demon named Jwarasur, who spread illness that the gods could not contain. Goddess Sheetala confronted him directly, and once he surrendered and agreed to stop harming people, she was honoured as the protector of health and hygiene. Sheetala Mata is depicted riding a donkey and holding a broom, a winnowing fan and a pot, each representing her role in sweeping away impurity and carrying disease away from her devotees. Historically she was invoked against smallpox, chickenpox and measles, and the day continues to be observed as a festival of cleanliness as much as of worship, with many families cleaning their homes as part of the observance.
Sheetala Ashtami Puja Vidhi
After bathing, the puja is offered either at home or at a temple, with the previous day's bhog of curd, rice, halwa and puri placed before the Goddess along with a Kalash of water, haldi, kumkum, akshat, flowers, sindoor, mehendi, kajal, a red chunri and a coconut. A small lamp made of wheat dough is lit with mustard oil or ghee, and the offerings are presented in order before the aarti closes the puja. Water from the Kalash is then sprinkled on family members and around the home as a gesture of purification.
Sheetala Ashtami 2027 FAQs
When is Sheetala Ashtami (Basoda) in 2027 in the UAE?
Sheetala Ashtami falls on Monday, 29 March 2027 in Dubai and across the UAE, with Sheetala Saptami the day before on Sunday, 28 March.
What is the Sheetala Ashtami puja muhurat in Dubai in 2027?
The puja muhurat runs from 3:40 PM to 6:34 PM on 29 March 2027, Dubai time.
Why is food cooked a day in advance for Basoda?
Custom holds that no fire should be lit for cooking on Sheetala Ashtami itself, so families prepare the day's food on Sheetala Saptami and eat it cold or at room temperature the next day.
Who is Goddess Sheetala and what does she protect against?
Goddess Sheetala is worshipped as the deity of health, hygiene and protection from disease, historically invoked against smallpox, chickenpox and measles, and is depicted riding a donkey with a broom, winnowing fan and pot.
How long does the Ashtami Tithi last in 2027?
Ashtami Tithi begins at 3:40 PM on 29 March and ends at 6:09 PM on 30 March 2027, Dubai time.
Is Sheetala Ashtami the same as Sheetala Satam?
No. Sheetala Satam is a related but separate observance kept in Gujarat the day before Krishna Janmashtami, also dedicated to Goddess Sheetala and also observed without cooking fresh food.
What goes on the Sheetala Ashtami puja thali?
A Kalash of water, haldi, kumkum, akshat, flowers, sindoor, mehendi, kajal, a red chunri, kalava and a coconut, alongside the previous day's bhog of curd, rice, halwa and puri.
Puja essentials for Sheetala Ashtami
Thali, chunri and kalash for the home puja, in stock and ready to ship across the UAE.
Sheetala Ashtami falls in the same post-Holi stretch as Chaitra Navratri - see our Chaitra Navratri dates and puja vidhi guide for what follows, or our Holi Rangwali 2027 UAE guide for the festival eight days before. Browse the full Everyday Pooja Essentials collection for thali, kalash and puja samagri.
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