ശ്രീ ശീതലാ മാതാ കീ ആരതീ

A Hindi arati to Shitala, the goddess of the pox and of cooling, and it is sung to the standard tune. Her court is described before she is: a jewelled throne, a white parasol above her head, prosperity and attainment waving the whisks; Vishnu standing in attendance and Shiva and the creator serving; and then a small orchestra of gods, Indra on the drum, the moon with the vina in his hand, the sun keeping time and Narada singing. The oddest verse is the second and it is the one people remember, an abrupt scene of a commotion in Vrindavan and Krishna's cap catching her fancy, which sits strangely among the rest. What the arati does not do anywhere is name the disease she governs, which is left to the observance rather than the song.