The Hindu mythology mentions Ravana as a demon king who kidnapped Sita, the wife of Lord Rama. He was the king of Lanka who was defeated and killed by Lord Rama. But only a few people know that apart from being a demon king, Ravana was also a Brahmin scholar and a great astrologer.
In fact, in many parts of India, Ravana is worshiped as a god and people have also constructed temples dedicated to him. In these temples, Ravana is worshiped just like any other Hindu deity with complete faith and devotion.
Let us check out some Famous Temples of Ravana in India where he is praised and worshiped like a god.
All Popular Ravana Temples in India
There may be only a few temples dedicated to Ravana but in these temples, prayers are offered to him just like any other Hindu god.
People seek his blessings for peace and prosperity and protection from his wrath. Statue of Ravana can also be found inside many Shiva temples, Ravana being the ultimate devotee of Lord Shiva.
Here you can find the list of famous Ravana temples in India:
1. Kakinada Ravana Temple, Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh
The coastal city of Kakinada has a temple that is dedicated to Ravana. It is believed that originally this temple was built by Ravana himself and was dedicated to Lord Shiva. Ravana was a great devotee of Lord Shiva and he built this temple around the statue of Lord Shiva.
Later, a statue of Ravana was also installed along with the existing statue of Shiva and both Ravana and Shiva are worshiped here. Kakinada is the only place in Andhra Pradesh where Ravana is worshiped.
2. Ravangram Ravana Temple, Vidisha, Madhya Pradesh
The city of Vidisha, Madhya Pradesh has a village named Ravangram where Ravana is worshiped by the people. In the village, there is also a temple dedicated to Ravana where a 10-foot-long reclining statue of Ravana has been installed.
The temple is believed to be built by the people of Kanyakubja Brahmin sect. Ravana is believed to be a part of the Kanyakubja sect of Brahmins. People of this village do not celebrate the festival of Vijayadashmi and burning of effigies of Ravana and his son Meghnad and brother Kumbhakaran is prohibited.
Rather, they have festivals in which Ravana is worshiped and is included in every joyous occasion.
3. Ravana Rundi, Mandsaur, Madhya Pradesh
There is another place in Madhya Pradesh where Ravana is worshiped by the people. This place is Mandsaur and is believed to be the birthplace of Mandodari, wife of Ravana. People of this village considers Ravana as a son-in-law and the members of the Namdeo Vaishnav Samaj worship him on the occasion of Dussehra. In the Khanpur area of Mandsaur, there is a 35-foot high statue of ten-headed Ravana which is worshiped by the locals there.
The statue was installed in 2005 and before that too there was 25-foot high lime and brick ancient idol of Ravana that existed till 1982. The statue started developed cracks due to lightning and was finally destroyed in 1982.
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4. Mandore Ravan Mandir, Jodhpur, Rajasthan
The inhabitants of Mandore, a historical town in Jodhpur city, also claim that it was the home town of Ravana’s wife Mandodari and the demon king is treated as the son-in-law among many Brahmin families of this town. The Mudgal and Dave Brahmins in Jodhpur also believe that they are the descendants of King Ravana.
They consider Ravana as the greatest man of all times and the father of astrology. Mandore Ravan Mandir has been built by the people of the town and is believed to protect people from paranormal powers, black magic and all type of evil spirits. Special astrology classes are held in the temple for students from all Brahmin families and in fact it is considered very auspicious for the Brahmins to learn astrology in the temple.
On the occasion of Dussehra, people of this town do not perform any kind of festivity or celebration. Instead, the descendants and disciples of Ravana perform rituals that are generally associated with death in any Hindu family.
5. Ravan Mandir Bisrakh, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh
Bisrakh is a village located 10 km away from Greater Noida which is claimed as the birthplace of king Ravana by its people. The village has temples dedicated to Ravana with his statues installed along with Shiva Linga as Ravana was a great devotee of Lord Shiva.
People of the village do not celebrate the festival of Dussehra and the nine-day period of Navratri is spent in mourning rather than celebration. Local people of the village believes that if Ramlila is ever performed in the village, it would trigger the wrath of Ravana on the villagers.
Instead of burning effigies of Ravana, people perform fire sacrifices or Yajnas during this festival to the Shiva Linga and pay homage to Ravana.
6. Dashanan Ravana Temple, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh
There is one more place in Uttar Pradesh where Ravana is considered and worshiped as a god rather than merely a demon king. This place is no other than the famous Kanpur city of Uttar Pradesh where exists a grand Dashanan temple dedicated to Ravana.
It is believed that this temple, where a five-ft idol of Ravana is installed, was built by a local ruler Maharaja Shiv Shankar more than 100 years ago (somewhere in 1865). The temple is located within the premises of Chinmastika Temple as Ravana is believed to be the doorkeeper of Goddess Chinmastika. It is said that Ravana, who was a great worshiper of Shiva, guards the door of Devi Chinmastika to please Lord Shiva.
This temple opens its doors only once a year on the occasion of Vijayadashami. Devotees visit this temple and offer prayers to Lord Shiva, Goddess Chinmastika and Ravana as well. The temple open up early in the morning and is closed in the evening after the effigies of Ravana, Meghnad and Kumbhakaran are burnt.
