The Hindu goddess Santoṣī Mā (also commonly written, in Devanagari script and in Indian English, Santoṣī Māṃ and Santoshi Ma/Maa) is widely venerated today, especially by women. Large numbers of women observe a vrat or fasting ritual on Fridays in her honor, and her shrines may be found in both urban and rural areas, often incorporated within temples to other deities. Although her worship seems to have originated in northwest India, probably…