A Goddess Of Contentment Most Needed In Present Times

Bollywood is celebrating the 50th year of Sholay, which was a clutter-breaking work that went from superhighway to cult over half a century. But another film also hit that milestone at the same time, Jai Santoshi Maa, which went on to become a huge success. Becoming a box-office hit is one thing; reaching remote corners of the country and starting a religious revolution is quite an achievement.

The city is in the grip of Ganpati fever, and mythology says that Goddess Santoshi is Lord Ganesh’s daughter, so maybe it’s time to revisit the craze for that film and its music. India is a religious country with multitudes of Hindu deities in every region, with their own legends, rituals and bhajans. Goddesses have the same kind of hold over devotees as Gods—in fact, there is often a criticism voiced about patriarchal India, that they worship goddesses but mistreat women. But till this film, directed by Vijay Sharma, came out, Goddess Santoshi was hardly known outside very small pockets of North India.

Mythological films had their popularity in cinema, and, later, television came up with a series of shows based on the epics—the Ramayan and the Mahabharat—that were trendsetters, and even today, shows about deities are hits on television. Jai Santoshi Maa was a film that reached even rural women who were not major moviegoers back then but arrived in droves carrying pooja material to worship the goddess on screen, entering the theatre barefoot, like in a temple.

Suddenly, the Santoshi Maa fast over 16 Fridays became a must for seeking wish fulfilment; it was, and is, mostly observed by women. It is interesting to see why the film and the goddess appealed to women—she knew what they wanted and granted their simple wishes.

The travails of the leading lady of the film often mirrored their own. Satyavati (played by Kanan Kaushal) is married to Birju, the youngest of seven brothers. She is tormented by her in-laws as a way of testing her faith. In Devaloka, the three main Goddesses, Laxmi, Parvati and Saraswati, instigated by Narad Muni, connive to make life as tough as possible for Satyavati to see how strong her devotion towards Santoshi Maa (played by Anita Guha) is.

Satyavati is driven almost to suicide by the torture of her sisters-in-law and is stopped by Narada, who tells her to observe the sixteen-Friday fast to appease Santoshi Maa. Eventually, Satyavati and her husband overcome all obstacles, and a new Goddess is welcomed into the pantheon.

Almost overnight, temples to Santoshi Maa were built all over the country and attracted hordes of women worshippers. The Goddess is portrayed in pictures and statues, seated on a lotus, with four arms, two holding a sword and a trident, one holding a bowl of sweets and one in a posture of granting blessings.

According to information on the net, “The devotional appeal of Santoshi Maa lies in her direct and pragmatic approach to the devotee's life. Worshippers seek specific, tangible blessings, including the fulfilment of desires, the removal of financial and family disputes, and the granting of prosperity, success, and progeny. Her worship is orientated toward worldly happiness and material well-being, rather than spiritual liberation or moksha, making her a highly approachable deity for the modern devotee navigating the complexities of daily life. Santoshi Maa's popularity is also a testament to her inclusive and accessible nature. Her worship is simple and inexpensive, requiring no costly preparations or elaborate shrines, which makes her an accessible deity for all, especially the less privileged. She is described as a "calm, soft, pure, and kind" and "easy to please" goddess, who fosters a direct and personal connection with her devotees. She is a compassionate mother, who accepts all the sorrows and problems of her followers, replacing them with peace and happiness.”

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Unlike Goddesses like Durga and Kaali, portrayed as demon slayers, Goddess Santoshi offers protection with the weapons but also radiates serenity. After the film, there have been several studies on the Santoshi Maa phenomenon, and there are websites that offer information on the dos and don’ts of the fast and worship, the bhajans and other rituals.

A piece on the University of Iowa website analyses the success of the film: “In an era dominated by violent, masala action films aimed primarily at urban male audiences, Jai Santoshi Maa spoke to rural and female audiences, invoking a storytelling style dear to them and conveying a message of vindication and ultimate triumph for the sincerely devoted (and upwardly mobile). Above all, it concerns the life experience that is typically the most traumatic for an Indian woman: that of being wrenched from her mayka, or maternal home, and forced to adjust to a new household in which she is often treated as an outsider who must be tested and disciplined, sometimes harshly, before she can be integrated into the family. Satyavati’s relationship with Santoshi Ma enables her to endure the sufferings inflicted on her by her sisters-in-law and to triumph over them, but it also accomplishes more. It ensures that Satyavati’s life consistently departs from the script that patriarchal society writes for a girl of her status: she marries a man of her own choosing, enjoys a companionate relationship (and independent travel) with her husband, and ultimately acquires a prosperous home of her own, beyond her in-laws’ reach. While appearing to adhere to the code of a conservative extended family (the systemic abuses of which are dramatically highlighted), Satyavati nevertheless quietly achieves goals, shared by many women, that subvert this code.”

For believers, a Goddess of Satisfaction is maybe the right deity in these restless and violent times.

Deepa Gahlot is a Mumbai-based columnist, critic and author.