Mother Seethala Devi is the healer of diseases of intense nature such high fever, cholera and dermatology problems caused by excessive heat and evil forces.  It is said that such heat related diseases are of 64 kinds.  Mother Seethala Devi with Her virgin power destroys these forces, restore health to Her devotees and believers.  She wears a Muram on Her head (a device to clean rice and cereals (in some places in Tamilnadu, this is called Shulagu).  She holds nectar in one hand and neem leaves on the other.  All of us know that Neem has a vital role in Ayurveda medicines.  She is healer of all diseases.

Sheetala Devi is also praised as Mother Gadhyayini meaning that She is the authority of all powers.  She heals the sick with Her cool look.  It is believed that a demon called Jurasura – demon of all fevers and viruses – spread havoc on children and made them suffer from high fever, smallpox, cholera etc.  Mother Sheetala Devi destroyed the demon, protected the children and saved the world.  Mother Sheetala Devi, Lords Vinayaka and Bala Muruga are facing east from the temple.  Mother Swarna Mahalakshmi, serpent planets Rahu and Ketu are facing west.  Lord Dakshinamurthi and Sri Veera Anjaneya are facing south.

People pray to Mother for a healthy life free of diseases.  Pregnant women face no difficulty during the delivery time.

Some ancient scriptures as Mrigandu Praktham contain Trisathi and Ashtothram slokas  - Trisathi means 300 names and Ashtothra 108 names of Mother Parasakthi.  In northern states people worship Her as Seethal Matha.   She is known for Her love and sympathy towards Her subjects and protect them from all heat-related diseases as small pox, dysentery etc.  All pujas in the temple are performed for the welfare of humanity as whole.  All pregnant women besides consulting a doctor, visit the temple at least once during the period.

Sheetala in Sanskrit means all coolness and no effect of heat.  Mother Sheetala Devi has many names.  She is praised as Sheetal in North and as Maha Mari, Mari Amman, Ellai Amman, Karumari, Amirtavarshini and Sheetala Devi in the south.   She is revered equal to Mother Parvathi.  The Hindu Tantra Sastras and Puranas elaborately speak of Her worship methods.  Mother Sheetala is the deity worshipped during the Vasantharuthu period covering April-June (Chitra and Vaikashi Tamil months).  Sheetala Devi is all kind to Her devotees.

 To take on the celestial beings – the Devas – the Asuras the demons sought the help of their Guru Shukracharya who taught them the Abichara-evil mantras to attack the Devas with serious and unbearable heat-related ailments.  As no medicine could cure them, they fell at the feet of Lord  Shiva in Mount Kailash.  A spark appeared from the crescent moon and Ganga adoring the head of Lord Shiva which was but the power of Mother Bhuvaneswari.  Lord also taught Seethala Slokas (verses) to Devas. 

Lord told His Deva devotees that chanting these mantras would relieve from the ailments caused by extreme heat in the body.  Thus came this great Mantra from Lord Shiva Himself which is the best medicine for everyone whether a child or an aged person.  To put it in the modern medical terms, the Mantras are an air-conditioner cooling the body and mind.

 Describing Mother Sheetala Devi, Lord said that She travels on a donkey holding the Muram on Her head, a pot and a broom in Her hands.

 Mother has Her temples in Punnai Nallur, Thanjai Poonthottamm Sethalapathy and Tiruvidaimarudur in Tamilnadu.  She also graces in Tirumazhisai near Chennai as Kulirntha Nayaki with Lord Othandeswarar.   She appeared in the dream of devout Sri Vidya Upasaka Sri Raghavan Guruji to construct a temple for Her.  The luck fell on Chennai.  Taking the directions of Mother, Guruji built the temple at Madipakkam Kubera Nagar.  The construction was completed in the year 2003 followed by a grand consecration in the month of Tamil Aani on the Uthira star day.  The temple is near Nanganalloor.  Mother Seethalambika takes care of Her devotees from all ailments caused by extreme heat.