According to the Vedic calendar, every year Chaitra Navratri begins from the Pratipada date of the Shukla Paksha of Chaitra month and the festival ends on the Navami date. This time Chaitra Navratri will start from March 29 (Kab Se Hai Chaitra Navratri 2025) and will end next month i.e. on April 07. During this, there is a ritual of performing special worship of Maa Durga on different days.

According to religious belief, by observing fast in Chaitra Navratri , Maa Durga always protects the devotee in his life. Also, happiness and prosperity increases. Maa Durga is known as Sherawali. In such a situation, now you must be wondering why Maa Durga rides a lion? In such a situation, let us know about the story related to it.  

How did the lion become Maa Durga's vehicle

The description of Maa Durga riding a lion is found in many religious texts, among which Skanda Purana and Shiva Purana are prominent. According to the legend, Maa Parvati wanted to get Mahadev as her husband. For this, she did rigorous penance in life, due to which her complexion became dark. Once there was a time when Lord Shiva jokingly called Maa Parvati Kali. Maa Durga did not like this statement of Mahadev, due to which she left Mount Kailash and got absorbed in penance.

After this a lion reached Maa Parvati to hunt, but Maa Parvati was doing penance. Seeing this scene the lion started thinking that when Maa Parvati's penance will end. After that he will hunt her, but Maa Parvati's penance did not end for many years. When finally the goddess's penance ended, Mahadev appeared and blessed Maa Parvati to become Maa Gauri. From that time onwards Maa Parvati started being known as Mahagauri.  

Mother Parvati thought that the lion remained hungry and thirsty during the penance. In such a situation, the lion should also get the fruits of penance. In such a situation, Mother Parvati made the lion her vehicle. In this way the lion became the vehicle of Mother Durga.