While India celebrates Dussehra, check some places where Ravana’s effigy will not set on fire
While Ravana was known to be one of the wisest beings on the planet, rather than burning his effigy, in some places, people worship him.
New Delhi: It is the festive season in India and as the Navratri ends, it is the time for Dussehra. This year the festival will be celebrated on October 5. The festival marks the win of good over evil as it is known that Lord Ram returned to Ayodhya after killing Ravan on this day. People celebrate the festival by burning effigies of Ravana, but there are a few places in India where there is no such tradition of burning effigies.
While Ravana was known to be one of the wisest beings on the planet, rather than burning his effigy, in some places, people worship him. Kolar in Karnataka is one such place where people do not burn the effigies.
The Kolar district and Malavalli town are two places in Karnataka where there are temples of Ravana. A fishing community in the state is known to worship the king of Lanka. It is also believed that if the effigy of Ravana is burnt, there is a danger involved with the fire. Fire can destroy or damage crops, so some people do not burn the effigies out of fear.
Check out some other places where the effigy of Ravana is not burnt:
1. Mandore, Jodhpur (Rajasthan)
It is believed that some rituals of Ravana’s wedding with Mandodari took place in the town, so some brahmins consider him to be their son-in-law. Some priests also perform shraad and pind daan for Ravana. Similarly, Mandsaur in Madhya Pradesh is considered Mandodari’s paternal house and people do not burn his husband’s effigy.
2. Baijnath, Kangra (Uttarakhand)
People in Baijnath respect Ravana for his devotion to Lord Shiva. It is also believed that people burning his effigy will face Shiva’s wrath and die an unnatural death.
3. Bisrakh (Uttar Pradesh)
Bisrakh is a small village where people believe that Ravana was born. They believe Ravana to be the ‘Maha-Brahman’ and rather than celebrating, they mourn his death for nine days.
4. Paraswadi, Gadchiroli (Maharashtra)
The Gond people living there call themselves ‘Ravanwanshis’ and believe that Ravana was a Gond king who was killed by Aryan invaders. In the village, it is known that Valmiki Ramayana does not depict Ravana as a villain like in Tulsidas’ Ramcharitmanas.
5. Kanpur (Uttar Pradesh)
A temple on Lord Shiva in Kanpur’s Shivala also has another temple dedicated to Ravana, called the Dashanan Temple. There the devotees pray for purity of mind and soul by worshipping Ravana.