Navratri 2019- 5 Famous Temples Where Ravana Is Worshiped

Ravana. The villain ultimate of Indian mythology. Come Navratri and Dusshera, everyone around will begin celebrating the days of good over evil and burn effigies of Ravana. But then, was Ravana truly as evil as he is made out to be? There are a lot of people who worship Ravana as a deity and Shiva followers truly believe in the 10-headed king. If he really was so good and noble, then why does majority of the population believe him to be evil?

The answer lies not in black or white but in grey. Ravana sure did commit some horrible acts – abducting Sita the worst of them, but then he was also a benevolent and just king. He was loved by all his subjects and Lanka prospered under Ravana. He was a family man and treated all his siblings with love and care. While he was spurned by Sita, Ravana did not truly wage any war till Ram and Lakshman deliberately insulted his sister Soorpanakha.

* Mandor, Rajasthan

Well, not exactly a temple temple but the Dave brahmins of Mandor are believed to be direct descendants of Ravana. As descendants of Ravana, they do not celebrate Dussehra as on that day Rama killed and vanquished Ravana. Instead, they perform shraddh and offer pind daan on Dueeshra. They perform all the rituals of shraddh that a son performs for his father/ancestors and pray for the liberation of his soul. A Ravana temple has been set up in Jodhpur India where daily, the king is prayed and worshiped.

* Bisrakh, Uttar Pradesh

This is one of the most famous and well-known Ravana temples. Ravana is worshipped as God in this region and Dusshera is not celebrated here by burning Ravana effigies. Bisrakh is special as it is Ravana’s birthplace and many elders still visit the place to mourn the once-great king. Navratri is the festival mourning in this township. There are many havans held during Navratri to pay respects and homage to Ravana.

* Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh

This temple of Ravana is opened just once a year on Dussehra Day and rituals are carried out. The temple was constructed by Shiv Shankar, a devotee of Lord Shiva and the believer in the power of Ravana. Ravana is worshipped as a God in the temple and not like a demon that he is believed to be. The temple celebrates his knowledge, his brilliance and his benevolence as a king – attributes of Ravana’s that lie forgotten in today’s world.

* Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh

Though not very well-known, the Ravana temple in Kakinada region of Andhra Pradesh is built on a site believed to have been chosen by Ravana himself. Ravana chose the spot to create a temple of Lord Shiva, whom Ravana believed in. It is believed that Ravana built the temple around the statue of Shiva. The temple is located close to the beach and is quite a picturesque temple. It is magnificent and beautiful! Kakuinada is the only place in Andhra where Ravana is worshipped.

* Mandsaur, Madhya Pradesh

Another of Ravana’s temples in Madhya Pradesh, this one is said to be important as Ravana and Mandodari are said to have wed here. The temple is an elaborate structure. Along with Ravana, there are also other female deities who are present inside the temple and are worshipped. Texts in the script from Harappan civilisation is found next to the deities indicating that the temple is extremely old.