I must say it’s nice to feel loved for a change.

Ravana burnt elsewhere, worshipped in Madhya Pradesh

by Smrity Sharma – October 2, 2006

Bhopal — Strange are the myths in Hindu religion. While most people belonging to the community prefer burning the effigy of Ravana as a mark of `victory of good over evil’, the 10-headed demon king is worshipped in two Madhya Pradesh districts.While he is worshipped as a son-in-law at Mandsaur town in west Madhya Pradesh, in Vidisha town, he is worshipped because of being personified as a symbol of prosperity and regarded as a saviour.Members belonging to Mandsaur’s Namdeo Vaishnav Samaj, a Hindu sect, who worship the demon king on Dussehra believe that Ravana’s wife Mandodari belonged to the town and thus regard him as son-in-law. A 35-ft high 10-headed Ravana statue was installed in 2005 at Ravana Rundi in the Khanpur area of Mandsaur at the same place where a 25-ft high lime and brick ancient idol of the demon king existed till 1982. It developed cracks due to lightning and was ultimately destroyed.The idol is worshipped every year and women in the area remain in veil since they regard Ravana as their son-in-law while men take a vow before his statue and make offerings after fulfillment of their desire.Ravana has also been worshiped for 600 years in Vidisha’s Ravangram (Ravana village) where there is an ancient idol belonging to the Parmar Age in a lying position. Here the demon king is personified as a symbol of prosperity by Kanyakubja Brahmins, a Brahmin sub-sect, to which Ravana was believed to belong.Ravana here is regarded as a learned person and people worshipping him believe that burning the learned king, who knew all the Vedas and was a Lord Shiva devotee, is not justified.People believe an unexpected incident would occur if anyone tried to put the 10-ft idol of Ravana in a standing position. The villagers had even pooled money to have a temple constructed at the site and prayers are offered there daily.