Ravaneshwaram Village in Kerala – Cave Dedicated to Ravana and Shiva Temple Where Ravan Performed Puja

Ravaneshwaram Village located near Kanjangad in Kasargod District in Kerala is unique as it boasts of a temple and cave where Ravana is believed to have performed puja. Asura King Ravana of Ramayana was an ardent devotee of Shiva and there are numerous temples in India that is related to Ravana.

Deccan Herald writes 

There is a cave where Ravana performed penance, a pond where he took bath and the Shivalinga which had the aura by Ravana’s poojas. These might be the reasons why the denizens here love Ravana, and they named the village ‘Ravaneshwaram’.

Sri Permthrikkovalappan Shiva Temple in the village is the centre of attraction of the village and the legend of the temple reveals the connection of Ravana and the village. The main deity of the temple is Ravana’s favorite god Shiva. Ganapathi’s prathishta is also there. Hundreds of devotees, mainly women come to this temple to worship Shiva.

According to the legend, during Ravana’s voyage back to Lanka from Gokarna, he finds this forest area and starts doing intense penance (or tapasya) to Lord Shiva. He installs a Shiva Linga and starts worshipping.

This area later became a temple and one could still find the cave where Ravana used to do tapasya and the pond Ravana used to take daily bath. The main festivals of the temple are Prthistadina Mahotsava and Shivarathri. The main offerings are Neivilakku and Somavara Vratham. 

Ravaneshwaram Village is around 8 km from Kanhangad.