Fasting on Friday – The Story of Santoshi Mata

According to Hindu religion, each day of the week is dedicated to Gods and Goddesses. Friday is the day of Santoshi Mata, the goddess of Shakti, and also to Venus or shukra. One of the most vital Upvaas or fast is done on this day to pay respect to Santoshi Mata, the incarnation of Mata Shakti. This method of fasting is also called Solah Shukravar Vrat as devotees fast for a total of 16 consecutive Fridays. The colour white holds special significance on Friday. Fasting on Friday begins at dawn and ends at dusk.

Santoshi Mata is also considered the mother of satisfaction or contentment. She is the symbol of commitment, love, hope, happiness and forgiveness. It is believed that she is the daughter of Lord Ganesh, having a calm and positive nature. Her followers live with peace and happiness.

Purpose of Fasting on Friday

Fasting on Friday is believed to be important due to various reasons. One of the obvious reasons for fasting on Friday is because Santoshi Mata was born on Friday. Some people worship Santoshi Mata as the epitome of Shakti or strength that can take away all their grief and worries. Likewise, others perform fasting on Friday to remove obstacles from their life, keep their children healthy and lead a happy family life. There are innumerable stories associated with the Shukravar Upvaas.

The Story

There’s a true story behind the concept of fasting on Friday and performing Santoshi Mata puja on this very day. According to legends, the sons of Lord Ganesh, namely Shubh and Labh, wanted to understand the importance of the custom of Raksha Bandhan and they desired to have a younger sister. Thus, Lord Ganesh created Santoshi Mata. Because she fulfilled the wishes and desired of her elder brothers, she was therefore names Santoshi.