There are several temples dedicated to Ravana in India . Ravan is one of the biggest demons in Hindu Scriptures. Although he is
the chief of demons in the Ramayan, Ravana is worshipped for his intense
devotion to Shiva and his scholarly trait. Known temples dedicated to Ravana
are found in Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh and
Karnataka. It must be noted that there will be numerous other temples dedicated
to Ravan which is yet to be recorded.
Dashanan Temple at Chinnamastika
Temple in Kanpur
Dashanan Temple is a small shrine dedicated to Ravana on the
premises of Chinnamastika Temple in Kanpur .
The shrine is only opened during the Dasara Festival. A 5ft murti of Ravana is
found in the temple.
45ft Ravana Murti at Khonpura Village
The huge murti of Ravana is worshipped on the open ground of
the Khonpura Village
Mandore in Rajasthan - Ravana is Son-in-Law here
Mandore near Jodhpur in
Rajasthan is believed to be the home town of Mandodari , wife of Ravana. Thus Namdeo
Vaishnav Samaj here believes that Ravana is the son-in-law from the region.
There is a spot known as Ravan Ki Chanwari – a mandap or pavilion – where Ravan
is believed to have married Mandodari. You can read about it here.
Lankeshwara Festival in Thayalur of Mulbagal Taluk in Kolar
District in Karnataka
For centuries, there is a tradition of worshipping
Lankadipathi, the king of Lanka, by the people in Kolar District of Karnataka
during the harvest festival. A procession of a ten-headed idol of Ravana along
with an idol of Shiva and the village deity takes place in the annual harvest
festival procession. (You can read more about this worship here.)
Ravana Worshipped at Kakinada
A big Shivling here is believed to have been installed by
Ravana. There is also a murti of Ravana nearby. Both the Shivling and Murti are
worshipped by the people here.
Ravangram at Nateran Taluka in Vidisha District in Madhya
Pradesh
A 10-feet idol of Ravana in reclining position
is worshiped here. Here he is a defender of the village and symbol of
prosperity. According to a popular folk tale, Ravana’s wife Mandodari was from Vidisha in Madhya Pradesh. Not just on Dussehra—before any significant event, including weddings—local residents visit this temple.
It is said that in Kangra, Himachal Pradesh, Ravana performed severe penance and received boons from Shiva. For this reason, the locals here do not burn Ravana’s effigy on Dashami.
In Bisrakh, Uttar Pradesh, there is a temple dedicated to Ravana. It is believed that the king of Lanka was born here. Instead of burning Ravana on Dashami, the locals observe nine days of mourning during Navratri.
In Gadchiroli, Maharashtra, the Gond tribal community worships Ravana and his son Meghanada. Their festival in Phalguna includes the worship of Ravana.
In the Mandsaur region of Madhya Pradesh, too, there is a temple dedicated to Ravana. Many devotees of the king of Lanka live here, and it is believed that Ravana married Mandodari in this very place.
Note - This is not a complete list. Hinduism and its beliefs are so wide that you can never put a full stop. More and more findings are made daily. So the above list will be updated. Readers also can add to the list of above temples by posting on comment section or mailing the details to hindublog@gmail.com.
Note - This is not a complete list. Hinduism and its beliefs are so wide that you can never put a full stop. More and more findings are made daily. So the above list will be updated. Readers also can add to the list of above temples by posting on comment section or mailing the details to hindublog@gmail.com.