Shukravar (Friday) Vrat Vidhi: Santoshi Mata, Lakshmi Puja, 16 Fridays and the No-Sour Rule
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How to keep the Friday (Shukravar) vrat: Santoshi Mata's 16 Fridays, the jaggery and chana offering, the rule of no sour food, the udyapan vidhi and Lakshmi puja on Friday.
Friday is regarded as the day of Santoshi Mata and Goddess Lakshmi (Durga). The best-known vrat on this day is Santoshi Mata's, kept for 16 Fridays in a row. Many people also worship Lakshmi on Friday. The most famous feature of the Santoshi Mata vrat is the rule that no sour food is eaten in the house that day.
**Key Takeaways** - Day: Friday, the day of Santoshi Mata and Lakshmi - Santoshi Mata's offering is jaggery and roasted chana - The rule on vrat days is not to eat sour (khatai) food - The vrat is kept for 16 Fridays and concluded with udyapan - Friday evening is regarded as especially suited to Lakshmi worship
Santoshi Mata Vrat Vidhi
- 1.Bathe in the morning and take the vrat sankalp.
- 2.Place an image of Santoshi Mata at the puja space and light a lamp.
- 3.Offer the Mata jaggery and roasted chana. There is also a tradition of keeping water in a kalash with a bowl of jaggery and chana on top.
- 4.Hear the Santoshi Mata vrat katha and perform the Santoshi Mata aarti.
- 5.Share the jaggery and chana as prasad and eat it yourself too.
- 6.Eat one meal during the day, with no sour food in it.
The No-Sour Rule
The vrat's most famous rule is that on the vrat day sour food, such as lemon, pickle, tamarind, curd or sour fruit, is neither eaten at home nor served to others. The rule is regarded as applying to both the person keeping the vrat and the household.
16 Fridays and Udyapan
The vrat is kept for 16 Fridays in a row. On the last Friday the udyapan is performed, in which, by tradition, eight children are fed. Sour food is kept out of their meal too. After the udyapan the vrat is regarded as complete.
Lakshmi Puja on Friday
Friday evening is also considered auspicious for worshipping Lakshmi. You can light a lamp, sing the Lakshmi aarti and chant Om Shreem Mahalakshmyai Namah. Read the lamp's significance in the importance of lighting a diya.
Keep in Mind
- The vrat is a practice of devotion and restraint. Don't treat it as a guarantee of any result.
- Choose your food according to your health.
- To know each weekday's deity, read Which God Is Worshipped on Each Day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Whom is the Friday vrat kept for?
Friday is regarded as the day of Santoshi Mata and Goddess Lakshmi. The most popular vrat is Santoshi Mata's.
What is the rule in the Santoshi Mata vrat?
On the vrat day sour food such as lemon, pickle, tamarind or curd is neither eaten nor served to others.
For how many Fridays is the Santoshi Mata vrat kept?
For 16 Fridays in a row, with udyapan on the last Friday.
What is offered to Santoshi Mata?
Jaggery and roasted chana are her offering, which is also shared as prasad.