Satyavati is a sincere devotee of Santoshi Maa, the goddess of contentment. She marries Birju, a kind man from a family that treats her harshly, and when he leaves to seek his fortune, she is left at the mercy of her sisters-in-law. In the heavens, the goddesses Lakshmi, Parvati and Brahmani decide to test the new goddess by testing her devotee, and Satyavati's trials grow ever harder. Made on a tiny budget with little-known actors, Jai Santoshi Maa opened in 1975, the same year as Sholay, and became one of the biggest hits of the year. Audiences reportedly took off their shoes in cinemas and threw coins at the screen, and the film helped spread the worship of Santoshi Maa and her Friday fast across India. Usha Mangeshkar's Main To Aarti Utaaroon remains a devotional standard.
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