Who is Ravana? His image is burned throughout the Hindu world on the 10th day of Dashain and yet, in some places, he is revered as a real hero and even considered a god by some.
I had not thought to become so involved in Ravana's history or identity except that I have a Nepalese Sukunda lamp that, instead of sporting an image of Ganesh, has that of the ten-headed Ravana. The more I delved into the various tales of Ravana and practices regarding this enigmatic character, the more the lamp made sense.
After all, in the places that revere Ravana rather than reviling him, he is given puja on the occasion of marriages. He is considered a patron of wealth and fertility. And the Sukunda lamp is brought out on the occasion of any marriage in Newar society, to lead the marriage procession.
I found a story about a man in a Nepalese village who has worshipped Ravana for almost 40 years. An actor, he became increasingly devoted to Ravana as he played the part in seasonal dramas.
Whether or not you consider him god or demon or something between the two, his extraordinary talent and creativity as well as knowledge is well-attested. He was devoted to Lord Shiva and composed a very beautiful hymn to the god. His primary 'crime' was the famous abduction of Sita, wife of Ram and yet, in a year with Ravana, he never molested her once. It was her own husband Ram who taunted her and tested her fidelity, not her 'abductor'.
Rama or Ram was one of Vishnu's avatars. Historically, I believe that there was emnity between the 'primary' Hindu gods, Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. Shiva is much maligned on occasion because he is different from the others mainly in his ascetic habits and unkempt appearance as well as his fondness for the cremation grounds. The father of Shiva's first wife objected to him and reviled him to the point where she immolated herself in order to protest against his lack of respect towards her husband, Shiva.
Vishnu appears in many myths as a character who is quite willing to use manipulation and outright duplicity to gain his goal or supremacy for the devas against the asuras. In truth, when I read all the tales of the wars between asuras and devas, it reminds me of the original hostility between the Aesir and the Vanir. Both were gods but from different traditions and heritages. I expect that the asuras originally were gods as well. There are far too many tales where an asura has all the powers of a god, or is bestowed by a god with a divine boon or power.
So here we have another devotee of Shiva, NOT Vishnu, in the form of Ravana. He was highly educated, a good ruler, generous, learned, just and very religious. Yet, he becomes the very symbol of evil in Hindu festival traditions, burned in effigy each year throughout the lands where Hindus celebrate. I think perhaps that the origins of this could be found in his devotion to Shiva, against the prevailing dominant worship of Vishnu. Shiva is a god who operates a bit outside the ordinary rules of society and civilisation, although he is praised as a husband and father, at the same time, he is known for his ascetic role. The ascetic completely renounces the world and its desires.
Shiva Mantra
The photograph below shows Ravana in all his glory as an armed warrior rather than dispenser of prosperity and wealth. The figure on my Sukunda lamp shows Ravana as the bestower not only of wealth, prosperity and fertility but the one within whose belly is to be found the Elixir of Immortality, the Amrita. The biggest difference between the portrayal of Ravana below and those normally burned in effigy is the fact that this one is worshipped and honoured as a great hero and honourable warrior.
