Santoshi Mata, “the mother of contentment”, is worshipped especially on Fridays. The vrat is popular among families seeking peace and fulfilment of sincere wishes. Customs differ in detail, so treat this guide as a general outline.
Vrat basics
- The vrat is usually kept for 16 consecutive Fridays.
- Before starting, take a sankalp: quietly resolve to keep the vrat sincerely.
- On the day, avoid sour foods such as lemon, tamarind, curd and pickles, both in cooking and in offerings.
- Eat one meal after the puja, or follow your family custom.
Puja steps
- Clean the puja space and place an image of Santoshi Mata.
- Light a ghee diya and offer flowers, kumkum and akshat.
- Keep a kalash with water. Offer roasted chana and jaggery in a small bowl.
- Read or listen to the vrat katha.
- Sing Jai Santoshi Mata, waving the thali clockwise.
- Distribute the gur-chana prasad, preferably to children, and eat some yourself.
You can also include Om Jai Lakshmi Mata as Friday is also associated with Lakshmi. See the weekday aarti guide for details.
Udyapan (concluding ceremony)
On the 16th Friday, the vrat is concluded with the udyapan. A common tradition is to feed eight boys, and serve them food that is not sour, and offer a small dakshina, though customs vary.
Practical advice
- If you are ill, pregnant or elderly, you can take a gentler approach and keep the devotion in prayer.
- Avoid pressure. A vrat is meant to calm the mind and not to cause stress.
- Be especially respectful of the sour-food rule if you are cooking for the family.
The deeper message
Santoshi stands for santosh, contentment. The practice invites gratitude and patience. As you light the lamp each Friday, you are training the mind to appreciate what you have while working honestly for what you need.
Frequently asked questions
How many Fridays is the Santoshi Mata vrat kept?
The common practice is 16 consecutive Fridays, followed by an udyapan (concluding ceremony).
Why is sour food avoided?
As per the vrat tradition, sour items such as lemon, tamarind, curd and pickles are avoided by the person fasting and often by the household on that day.
What prasad is offered?
Roasted gram (chana) and jaggery (gur) are the traditional prasad.