Music is not only an expression of personal creative energy but an outlet for worship, as seen in the case of Jai Santoshi Ma, a movie about a devotee of Santoshi Ma's who loyally worships her favorite goddess through song and dance. The relationship between goddess and devotee, Satya, is a testament to the power of music in the religious world; Satya expresses her most intimate and passionate hopes to Santoshi Ma through melody and song.
John Edappilly, author of Divine and Devotion in the Music of the East and West, identifies "Devotional songs [as] the quintessential element in traditional worship in Hindusim." The medium of music allows devotees to express their worship intensely and actively, whether the feelings they express be happy or sad. Satya sings to Santoshi Ma to praise her, "Love flows in abundance in Santoshi Ma's eyes / Compassion and mercy fill Santoshi Ma's
gaze," and to describe the peace and love she has found in her devotion; " Let me spend a lifetime lost in Santoshi Ma's gaze / A new miracle shines each day in Santoshi Ma's eyes." Through prayer, dance and song, Satya "fulfill[s] my life's desires in devotion to Santoshi Ma."
She also turns to the goddess to relieve her pain and anxiety; after Birju, Satya's husband, is lost in a ship wreck at sea, her sisters-in-law treats her as a widow, starve her, and force her to do hours of grueling housework. Little does Satya know that Birju has been put under a spell by Laksmi, Sita and Parvati and has forgotten about Satya in the arms of a beautiful girl on a tropical island. Satya pleads to Santoshi Ma for help; "I am caught in midstream / Steer my boat ashore / Change the course of my destiny / Perform this miracle / If you so desire it, I can be saved."
Edapilly describes the musical medium as "personal," and in "Jai Santoshi Ma," Satya uses music to personalize her relationship with the goddess. Music becomes the "divine-human meeting point" at which Satya and Santoshi Ma can interact with each other and thus create a relationship in which the diety really knows the devotee. In response to Satya's musical pleas, Santoshi Ma comes down to earth at several points to personally assist Satya with her misfortunes, showing how "music is part and parcel of a religious worship."
