President Murmu and PM Modi also applied ’tilak’ on the foreheads of artists enacting the roles of Lord Ram, Lakshman, and Hanuman.
While his effigies are set ablaze to commemorate the victory of good over evil, there are select regions in the country where people gather at temples dedicated to the demon king either due to his cultural association with the place or some of his exceptional qualities.
Ravangram Ravana Temple, Vidisha
Ravangram is a village named after Ravana. It houses one of the most famous temple with a colossal, 10 ft idol of the Lankan King, in a reclining position. The local legend has it that a calamity would strike the village if anyone tries to put the idol in an upright position.
It is widely believed that Ravana’s wife Mandodari hailed from Vidisha.
Before solemnising any marriage in the village, the first wedding card is sent to Ravana’s temple and the villagers also seek his blessings before any festival. The veneration of Ravana has assumed greater significance during Dussehra celebrations in recent times.
Mandsaur, Madhya Pradesh
It is believed to be the location where the wedding of Ravana and Mandodari took place. A 35-feet tall statue of Ravana is installed in the Khanpur area of Mandsaur. The Namdeo Vaishnav Samaj of Mandsaur believes that since Mandodari was a native of the town, Ravana is respected as the learned son-in-law.
Furthermore, the temple is considered to be of great antiquity, with evidence of ancient scripts from the Harappan civilization discovered adjacent to the deities.
On the day of Dussehra, the locals start praying to Ravana at 9.30 in the morning. The prayers end with chants of “Hail Dashanan, Hail Ravana”.
Dashanan Temple, Kanpur
Shivala in Kanpur which has a revered shrine dedicated to Ravana resonates with the chants of ‘Jai Lankesh’ and ‘Lankapati Naresh ki jai ho’ on Dussehra. It is the only time that this more than 100-year-old Dashanan Mandir is unlocked just for a day in a year. As per the records, it was built by King Guru Prasad Shukl in 1890 on the premises of Chinmastika Temple, near Kailasha Temple in Shivala area of the city. ‘Lankapati Ravana’ is worshipped here as the guard of Lord Shiva and Goddess Chinmastika besides being an embodiment of ‘Shakti’ (power) and ‘Gyan’ (knowledge).
‘Puja’ and ‘Aarti’ of Lankadhiraj Ravana start from 9 am on the Dussehra day with people making a a beeline at the temple till late in the night believing that it would mitigate all the negativity present in their life and sharpen the brain.
Jodhpur, Rajasthan
Some families in Jodhpur, who consider themselves to be descendants of Ravana, mourn his death on Vijay Dasami. The Maudgil Brahmins are said to have come here during Ravana’s wedding with Mandodari, the daughter of King Mandawar, often referred to as Mandor. During that era, his kingdom was situated along the banks of the Saraswati river.
These people have also built a temple of Ravana and worship Ravana not solely on Dussehra but on a daily basis.
Ravana Mandir, Bisrakh, Uttar Pradesh
This village in Uttar Pradesh, located just 40 km from Delhi, is believed to be the birthplace of Ravana, with villagers counting themselves as his descendants. It houses one of the most famous and well-known temples, venerating the demon king. The temple, according to local belief, carries the same Shiva Linga which was once worshipped by Ravana and his father, the sage Vishravas.
In fact, the name of the village is believed to be derived from the word “Vishravas”.
Dussehra here isn’t marked by burning effigies of Ravana. Instead, villagers of Bisrakh mourn Ravana’s loss and conduct prayer rituals for his soul during the nine days of Navratri. The temple has faced wrath of people who believe in Lord Ram, but Ravana’s devotees have staunchly defended it.
The people of the village have even raised money to build a new temple dedicated to Ravana.
Kangra, Himachal Pradesh
Kangra is traditionally referred to as the location where Ravana, through his unwavering devotion and austerity, earned profound blessings from Lord Shiva. Consequently, the residents of Kangra abstained from burning the effigy of Ravana as they believe that it would make Lord Shiva angry!
Kakinada Ravana temple, Andhra Pradesh
It is believed that Ravana chose coastal village of Kakinada to build a temple for Lord Shiva. The temple features a colossal mural of the Shiva Linga, symbolising Ravana’s deep reverence for Lord Shiva. Today, there is a big temple dedicated to Ravana in Kakinada. It is the only place in Andhra Pradesh where he is worshipped.
Kolar, Karnataka
In Karnataka’s Kolar district, Ravana is a revered figure for his unwavering devotion to Lord Shiva. In a procession during the harvest festival, his ten-headed and twenty-armed idol is worshipped by the locals alongside Lord Shiva.
Gadchiroli, Maharashtra
The Gond tribe in Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli worship Ravana and his son, Meghananda. As per their beliefs, Ravana was not portrayed as a demon in Valmiki Ramayana, and it also indicated that he committed no wrong against Lord Rama’s wife, Sita. These tribals hold special prayers dedicated to Ravana during their tribal festival, called Falgun.