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Ravana

Ravana (/ˈrɑːvənə/;[1] Sanskrit: रावण, IAST: Rāvaṇa, pronounced [ˈraːʋɐɳɐ]) is a multi-headed rakshasa king[2] of the island of Lanka, and the chief antagonist in the Hindu epic Ramayana.[3][4] In the Ramayana, Ravana is described as the eldest son of sage Vishrava and Kaikesi. He abducted Prince Rama's wife, Sita, and took her to his kingdom of Lanka, where he held her in the Ashoka Vatika.[5] Rama, with the support of vanara King Sugriva and his army of vanaras, launched an invasion against Ravana in Lanka. Ravana was subsequently slain, and Rama rescued his beloved wife Sita.[6][7]

Ravana
Ravana, South India, 18th century AD.
Devanagariरावण
Sanskrit transliterationRāvaṇa
AffiliationThe King of Lanka, Rakshasa
PredecessorKubera (King of Lanka)
SuccessorVibhishana (King of Lanka)
AbodeLanka
MountPushpaka chariot
TextsRamayana and its versions
Personal information
Parents
SiblingsKumbhakarna,Vibhishana,

Khara, Dushan,

Ahiravana, Mahiravana,

Shurpanakha.
Spouse
ChildrenIndrajit, Atikaya, Akshayakumara, Narantaka, Devantaka, Trishira

Ravana is widely portrayed as being an evil character, though he is also a learned scholar. He was well-versed in the six shastras and the four Vedas, including the Shiva Tandava Stotra.[8] Ravana is also considered to be the most revered devotee of Shiva. Images of Ravana are often seen associated with Shiva at temples. He also appears in the Buddhist Mahayana text Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra, in Buddhist Jatakas, as well as in Jain Ramayanas. In some scriptures, he is depicted as one of Vishnu's cursed doorkeepers.[9]

Etymology Edit

 
Statue of Ravana at Koneswaram Hindu Temple, Sri Lanka

The word Rāvaṇa (Sanskrit: रावण) means "roaring" (active), the opposite of Vaiśravaṇa which means to "hear distinctly" (passive).[10][11] Both Ravana and Vaiśravaṇa, who is commonly known as Kubera, are considered to be patronymics derived from "sons of Vishrava".[10][11][12][13]

Ravana was a title later taken on by Dashānana, and it means "the one with ten (dasha) faces (anana)". Further, roravana is Sanskrit for "loud roaring." In Abhinava Gupta's Krama Shaiva scripture, yāsām rāvanam is used as an expression to mean people who are truly aware of the materialism of their environment.[citation needed]

Ravana has many other popular names such as Dasis Ravana, Dasis Sakvithi Maha Ravana, Dashaanan, Ravula, Lankapati, Lankeshwar, Lankeshwaran, Ravanasura, Ravanaeshwaran, and Eela Vendhar.[14]

Iconography Edit

Ravana is depicted and described as having ten heads, although he is sometimes shown with only nine heads since he cut one off to convince Shiva.[15] He is described as a devout follower of Shiva, a great scholar, a capable ruler, and a maestro of the Veena. Ravana is also depicted as the author of the Ravana Samhita, a book on Hindu astrology, and the Arka Prakasham, a book on Siddha medicine and treatment. Ravana possessed a thorough knowledge of Siddha and political science. He is said to have possessed the nectar of immortality, which was stored inside his belly thanks to a celestial boon from Brahma.[16][page needed]

Life and legends Edit

Birth Edit

 
The abduction of Sita

Ravana was born to the sage Vishrava and the Rakshasa princess Kaikesi in Treta Yuga. Villagers from Bisrakh in Uttar Pradesh claim that Bisrakh was named after Vishrava, and that Ravana was born there.[17] However, according to Hela historical sources and folklore, Ravana was born in Lanka, where he later became king.[18]

Ravana's paternal grandfather, the sage Pulastya,[19] was one of the ten Prajapatis, or mind-born sons of Brahma, and one of the Saptarishi (Seven Great Sages Rishi) in the first Manvantara (age of Manu). His maternal grandfather was Sumali (or Sumalaya), the king of the Rakshasas and the son of Sukesha. Sumali had ten sons and four daughters. Sumali wished for Kaikesi to marry the most powerful being in the mortal world, so as to produce an exceptional heir. He rejected the kings of the world, as they were less powerful than him. Kaikesi searched among the sages and finally chose Vishrava, the father of Kubera. Ravana and his siblings were born to the couple and they completed their education from their father, with Ravana being a great scholar of the Vedas.[citation needed]

Boon from Brahma Edit

Ravana and his two brothers, Kumbhakarna and Vibhishana, performed penance on Mount Gokarna for 11,000 years and won boons from Brahma. Ravana was blessed with a boon that would make him invincible to all the creations of Brahma, except for humans.[20] He also received weapons, a chariot, as well as the ability to shapeshift from Brahma.[citation needed] According to the Ramayana, demigods approached Brahma since Ravana was causing harm on Earth. Lord Vishnu appeared and gave blessings that he will incarnate as a human (Rama) and kill Ravana since his invincibility boon did not include humans.[21]

Devotee of Shiva Edit

 
Ravananugraha theme

One of the most popular images of Shiva is called "Ravananugraha", which was popular in the Gupta era. It depicts Ravana beneath Mount Kailash playing a veena made out of his head and hands, and strings made out of his tendons, while Shiva and Parvati sit on top of the mountain.[22][full citation needed] According to scriptures, Ravana once tried to lift Mount Kailash, but Shiva pushed the mountain into place and trapped Ravana beneath it. For a thousand years, the imprisoned Ravana sang Shiva Tandava Stotra, a hymn in praise of Shiva, who finally blessed him and granted him an invincible sword and a powerful linga (Shiva's iconic symbol, Atmalinga) to worship.[23][22]

Family Edit

 
Queen Mandodari and the women of Lanka mourning the death of Ravana. Bas-relief of 9th century Prambanan Temple, Java, Indonesia

Ravana's parents were the sage Vishrava (son of Pulastya) and Kaikesi (daughter of Sumali and Tataka or Ketumati). Ravana had ten maternal uncles and three maternal aunts. Dhumraksha, Prahastha, Akampana, Maricha, and Subahu, a few of his maternal uncles, were generals in the Lanka army. Kaikesi's father, Sumali, was instrumental in making Ravana the king of Lanka by advising him to receive boons from Brahma, defeat Kubera, and establish rakshasa rule in the three worlds.[24]

Ravana's granduncle was Malyavan, who opposed the war with Rama and Lakshmana. He also had another granduncle named Mali who was killed by Vishnu.[24]

Ravana had seven brothers and two sisters, named Kubera, Kumbhakarna, Vibhishana, Khara, Dushana, Ahiravan, Kumbhini, Sahastra Ravana, and Shurpanakha.

Ravana had three wives, Mandodari, the daughter of the celestial architect Maya, Dhanyamalini, and a third wife. His sons from his three wives were Meghanada, Atikaya, Akshayakumara, Narantaka, Devantaka, Trishira, and Prahasta.

Priestly ministers Edit

In some accounts, Ravana is said to have had Shukracharya, the priest of the Asuras, as his minister, and in other accounts, Brihaspati, the priest of the Devas.[citation needed]

One account narrates how Ravana ordered Brihaspati to recite the Chandi stava (mantras of Chandi), more specifically the Devi Mahatmya, in order to stave off defeat. According to the Krttivasa text, Ravana arranged for a peaceful yajna, and invited Brihaspati to start the recitation of Chandi.[25][full citation needed]

 
Ravana in Sanskrit drama of Kerala, India- Kutiyattam. Artist: Guru Nātyāchārya Māni Mādhava Chākyār[26]

Other legends Edit

Vishnu's cursed doorkeeper Edit

In the Bhagavata Purana, Ravana and his brother Kumbhakarna are said to be reincarnations of Jaya and Vijaya, gatekeepers at Vaikuntha (the abode of Vishnu), and were cursed to be born on Earth for their insolence.[27]

These gatekeepers refused entry to the Sanatha Kumara monks who, because of their powers and austerity, appeared as young children. For their insolence, the monks cursed them to be expelled from Vaikuntha and to be born on Earth.[27][9]

Vishnu agreed that they should be punished and gave them two options. First, that they could be born seven times as normal mortals and devotees of Vishnu, or strong and three times as powerful, but as enemies of Vishnu. Eager to be back with the Lord, they chose the latter option. The curse of the first birth was fulfilled by Hiranyakashipu and his brother Hiranyaksha in Satya Yuga, when they were both vanquished by earlier avatars of Vishnu (Hiranyaksha by Varaha, and Hiranyakashipu by Narasimha). Ravana and his brother Kumbhakarna were born to fulfill the curse in their second birth as enemies of Vishnu in Treta Yuga. The curse of the third birth was fulfilled by Dantavakra and Shishupala in the Dvapara Yuga, when they both were slain by Krishna, the eighth avatar.[9]

Conflict with other kings and Asuras Edit

Throughout his life, Ravana had gotten into conflict with several major Asuras.[citation needed] In Maheshwar, Madhya Pradesh, he is said to have fought and lost to Kartavirya Arjuna. Ravana was vanquished by the Ikshvaku King Mandhata, an ancestor of Rama, as well as by the sage Kapila. In the Ramayana, he fought Vali, the Kishkindha king, but was defeated by him because of his boon to obtain half the strength of anyone he fought.[28] He also fought with the Nivatakavachas, descendants of Prahlada, but struck an alliance with them after being unable to defeat them.

Once, upon hearing a discourse from Sage Sanatkumara, Ravana attempted to invade Vaikuntha. Only Ravana managed to enter Vaikuntha's capital, Shwetadwipa, where he was hopelessly outmatched by the inhabitants and was forced to retreat.

He killed Anaranya, the king of Ayodhya, although he cursed Ravana to be slain by Rama.

Ravana had wrestled his brother Kubera for the Pushpaka Vimana.

He also fought Marutta (Chakravarti King of Ushiraviga), Gadhi (Vishwamitra's father), Dushyanta (Bharata's father), Suratha (King of Vidarbha), Gaya (Chakravarti king of Dharmaranya), and Paurava (King of Anga).

Rape of Rambha Edit

Ravana is regarded to have once caught sight of the apsara Rambha and was filled with lust. Even as the apsara resisted his advances by asserting that she was his daughter-in-law, he raped her. When she reported this to her husband, Nalakuvara, he cursed Ravana to be unable to cause violence to any woman who did not consent to being with him, his head splitting into a number of pieces if he did so. This incident is stated to explain why Ravana could not force the abducted Sita to submit to his desire.[29][30]

Worship and temples Edit

 
Thotsakan (Ravana)'s sculpture as a guardian of Wat Phra Kaew, Thailand

Worship Edit

Ravana is worshipped as one of Shiva's most revered followers,[31] and he is even worshipped in some Shiva temples.[31][32][33]

Ravana is worshipped by the Kanyakubja Brahmins of the Vidisha region, who see him as a savior and a sign of prosperity, claiming Ravana was also a Kanyakubja Brahmin. Thousands of Kanyakubja Brahmins of the village Ravangram of Netaran, in the Vidisha District of Madhya Pradesh, perform daily puja in the Ravana temple and offer naivedyam or bhog (a ritual of sacrifice to the gods).

King Shiv Shankar built a Ravana temple in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. The Ravana temple is open once a year, on the day of Dashera, to perform puja for the welfare of Ravana.[34]

Ravana is also worshipped by Hindus of Bisrakh, who claim their town to be his birthplace.[35]

The Sachora Brahmins of Gujarat claim to be descendants of Ravana, and sometimes have "Ravan" as their surnames.[36]

Saraswat Brahmins from Mathura claim Ravana as a saraswat Brahmin as per his lineage.[37][38]

There has also been reference to "Ravani", the lineage of Upadhyaya Yasastrata II, who was of the Gautama gotra and Acharya Vasudatta's son, and described as "born of Ravani".[39][full citation needed]

The Gondi people of central India claim to be descendants of Ravana, and have temples for him, his wife Mandodari, and their son Meghnad. They also state that Ravana was an ancient Gond king, the tenth dharmaguru of their tribe, and the eighteenth lingo (divine teacher). Annually on Dussehra, the Gondis from the village of Paraswadi carry an image of Ravana riding on an elephant in a procession.[40]

Temples Edit

The following temples in India are for Ravana as a Shiva Bhakta.

  • Dashanan Temple, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh[41]
  • Ravana Temple, Bisrakh, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh[41]
  • Kakinada Ravana Temple, Andhra Pradesh[41]
  • Ravangram Ravana Temple, Vidisha, Madhya Pradesh[41]
  • Mandsaur, Madhya Pradesh[41]
  • Mandore Ravan Temple, Jodhpur[42]
  • Baijanath Temple, Kangra District, Himachal Pradesh[42]

Influence on culture and art Edit

 
Ravana with Hanuman in tholu bommalata, a shadow puppet tradition of Andhra Pradesh, India
 
A carnival of Ravana

Ravana-Dahan (burning effigy of Ravana) Edit

 
An effigy of Ravana with burning sparklers on Dusshera. Dashehra Diwali Mela in Manchester, England, 2006

Effigies of Ravana are burned on Vijayadashami in many places throughout India to symbolize Rama's triumph over evil.[43]

Ravanahatha Edit

According to mythology, the ravanahatha, an ancient bowed string instrument, was created by Ravana and is still used as a Rajasthani folk instrument.[44]

In other religions Edit

In the Rin-spuns-pa Tibetan Ramayana, it is prophesied that Ravana will return as the Buddha incarnation of Vishnu in Kali Yuga.

The Arunachal Pradesh Tai Khamti Ramayana (Phra Chow Lamang) shows Rama as a Bodhisattva who was reborn so Ravana could torture him.

In the Laotian Buddhist text Phra Lak Phra Lam, Rama is a Bodhisattva and the embodiment of virtues, while Ravana is a Brahmin ("mahabrahma") son of Virulaha who is highly materialistic.[citation needed]

In the Cambodian Buddhist text Preah Ream, Buddha is an incarnation of Rama and Ravana is a rakshasa.[citation needed]

In the Thai Buddhist text Ramakien, Ravana is a rakshasa[45] known as "Thotsakan" (ทศกัณฐ์, from Sanskrit दशकण्ठ, Daśakaṇṭha, "ten necks"), and is depicted with green skin.[citation needed]

In the Karandavyuha Sutra, Yama asks if the visitor in hell (Avalokitesvara), whom he hasn't seen yet, is a god or a demon, and whether he is Vishnu, Mahesvara, or the rakshasa Ravana.

Jainism Edit

Jain accounts vary from the traditional Hindu accounts of the Ramayana. The incidents are placed at the time of the 20th Tirthankara, Munisuvrata. In Jainism, both Rama and Ravana were devout Jains.[46] Ravana was a Vidyadhara king who had magical powers,[47] and Lakshmana, not Rama, was the one who ultimately killed Ravana.[48]

Dravidian movement Edit

Pulavar Kuzhanthai's Ravana Kaaviyam is a panegyric on Ravana that is made up of 3,100 poetic stanzas in which Ravana is the hero. The book was released in 1946, and was subsequently banned by India's Congress led government. The ban was later lifted in 1971.[49][50][51]

In popular culture Edit

Sri Lanka named its first satellite Raavana 1 after Ravana.[52]

Films Edit

Title Played by Year Language
Bhookailas (1940 film) Subbaiah Naidu 1940 Telugu
Rambaan Chandra Mohan 1948 Hindi
Sampoorna Ramayanam T. K. Bhagavathi 1958 Tamil
Sampoorna Ramayana B. M. Vyas 1961 Hindi
Bhookailas (1958 film) N. T. Rama Rao 1958 Telugu
Sita Rama Kalyanam N. T. Rama Rao 1961 Telugu
Indrajeet (Sati Sulochana) S. V. Ranga Rao 1961 Telugu
Sampoorna Ramayanam (1971 film) S. V. Ranga Rao 1971 Telugu
Sita Kalyanam Kaikala Satyanarayana 1976 Telugu
Bajrangbali Prem Nath 1976 Hindi
Sri Rama Pattabhishekam N. T. Rama Rao 1978 Telugu
Brahmarshi Viswamitra N. T. Rama Rao 1991 Telugu
Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama Amrish Puri (voice) 1992 English
Ramayanam Swathi Baalineni 1996 Telugu
Raavanan Vikram (Based on Ravana's character) 2010 Tamil
Ramayana: The Epic Ashutosh Rana (voice) 2010 Hindi
Adipurush Saif Ali Khan 2023 Multi

Television Edit

Web series Edit

See also Edit

References Edit

  1. ^ "Ravana". Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary.
  2. ^ Cartwright, Mark. "Ravana". World History Encyclopedia. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
  3. ^ Wheeler, James Talboys (1869). The History of India from the Earliest Ages. Vol. II The Rámáyana and the Vedic period. N. Trubner & Co. p. 281.
  4. ^ Brown, Nathan Robert (2 August 2011). The Mythology of Supernatural: The signs and symbols behind the popular TV show. Berkley Boulevard books, Newwork. ISBN 9781101517529. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
  5. ^ (PDF). sunderkandsatsangsamuh.org. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 July 2021. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
  6. ^ Das, Subhamoy. "The Ramayana". Learn Religions. Retrieved 12 May 2020. Summary by Stephen Knapp
  7. ^ "Ravana". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
  8. ^ Vālmīki; Menon, Ramesh (26 May 2004). The Ramayana: A Modern Retelling of the Great Indian Epic. Macmillan. ISBN 978-0-86547-695-0.
  9. ^ a b c Pankaj, Bhavana (31 July 2019). "Where Ravana is Vishnu's true Bhakta". The Statesman. Retrieved 1 July 2020.
  10. ^ a b Aiyangar Narayan (1909) "Essays On Indo-Aryan Mythology-Vol.", p.413
  11. ^ a b "Cologne Scan". sanskrit-lexicon.uni-koeln.de.
  12. ^ The Rāmāyaṇa of Vālmīki: An Epic of Ancient India. Ayodhyākāṇḍa. Motilal Banarsidass Publishers. 25 April 2007. p. 30. ISBN 9788120831636 – via Google Books.
  13. ^ Hopkins, Edward Washburn (1915). Epic Mythology. Strassburg, DE: K.J. Trübner. p. 142.
  14. ^ "10 Names of Ravana". LifeStalker. 6 October 2014. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  15. ^ "When Ravana tore his head and a hand to apologize to Lord Shiva". www.mensxp.com. 26 October 2015. Retrieved 5 May 2022.
  16. ^ Valmiki. Ramayana. Tulsidas. Vibhishana, Lanka Kanda; Samvaad, Rama (eds.). Ramcharitmanas.
  17. ^ Dutta, Prabhash K. (10 October 2016). "Did you know? Ravana was born in Greater Noida West". India Today. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
  18. ^ "Unknown Interesting Hidden Mythological Facts About Ravana". Shiprocket Social Blog. 11 October 2016. Retrieved 5 May 2022.
  19. ^ Rajarajan, R.K.K. (2018). "Woven Threads of the Rāmāyaṇa The Early Āḻvārs on Brahmā and Rāvaṇa". Romanian Journal of Indian Studies. 2: 9–45.
  20. ^ Manglik, Reshu (29 September 2017). "Happy Dussehra 2017: 11 important facts to know about Ravana, primary antagonist of epic Ramayana". indiatvnews.com. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  21. ^ Rosen, Steven (2006). Essential Hinduism. Westport, Conn.: Praeger. pp. 68–69. ISBN 0-275-99006-0. OCLC 70775665.
  22. ^ a b Kala pp. 38–42
  23. ^ Rathore, Vinod (29 June 2020). "Know the unique story of Ravana's devotion to Shiva". News Track. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  24. ^ a b Mittal, J.P. (2006). History of Ancient India (a new version: From 7300 BC to 4250 BC. Atlantic Publishers & Dist. p. 200. ISBN 978-81-269-0615-4.
  25. ^ Nagar, Shanti Lal. Genesis and Evolution of the Rāma Kathā in Indian Art, Thought, Literature, and Culture: From the earliest period to modern times. Vol. 2.
  26. ^ Chākyār, Māni Mādhava (1996). Nātyakalpadrumam. New Delhi, IN: Sangeet Natak Akademi. p. 6.
  27. ^ a b Ninan, M.M. (23 June 2008). The Development of Hinduism. Madathil Mammen Ninan. p. 241. ISBN 978-1-4382-2820-4.
  28. ^ Vālmīki (January 1988). Venkatesananda, Swami (ed.). The Concise Rāmāyaṇa of Vālmīki. SUNY Press. ISBN 978-0-88706-862-1.
  29. ^ Doniger, Wendy (March 2014). On Hinduism. OUP USA. p. 535. ISBN 978-0-19-936007-9.
  30. ^ Vālmīki (2007). The Rāmāyaṇa of Vālmīki: An Epic of Ancient India. Araṇyakāṇḍa. Motilal Banarsidass Publishe. p. 393. ISBN 978-81-208-3164-3.
  31. ^ a b "Ravana has his temples, too". Spectrum. The Sunday Tribune. 21 October 2007.
  32. ^ Vachaspati, S. (2005). Ravana Brahma. Tenali, India: Rudrakavi Sahitya Peetham, Gandhi Nagar.
  33. ^ Dave, Kamalesh Kumar (2008). Dashanan (in Hindi). Jodhpur, India: Akshaya Jyotish Anusandan Kendra.
  34. ^ Siddiqui, Faiz (10 October 2016). "A temple where demon king has his day". The Times of India. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
  35. ^ "Only the elderly come to mourn Ravana in 'birthplace' Bisrakh". The Indian Express. 4 October 2014. Retrieved 14 June 2016.
  36. ^ People of India. Vol. 4: A–G. Oxford University Press. p. 3061.
  37. ^ "Mathura lawyer seeks ban on burning of Ravana effigies". The Indian Express. 26 September 2017.
  38. ^ Qureshi, Siraj (12 October 2016). "A Dussehra without burning Ravana: This Brahmin community in Agra wants an end to practice". India Today.
  39. ^ "[no title cited]". Indian Culture: Journal of the Indian Research Institute. I.B. Corporation. 15.
  40. ^ Rashid, Omar (24 October 2015). "Celebrating Ravan". The Hindu.
  41. ^ a b c d e "Five temples of Ravana in India where demon king is worshipped". India TV. 11 October 2016.
  42. ^ a b "Unique Ravana temples in India". Travel guide. Native Planet. 27 April 2018.
  43. ^ "Dussehra 2018: What is the significance Of Ravana Dahan?". Dehli news. NDTV.com. Retrieved 1 July 2020.
  44. ^ "Sri Lankan revives Ravana's musical instrument". The Island. Sri Lanka. 9 March 2008.
  45. ^ Vyas, Lallan Prasad. Prachi Darshan. p. 98.
  46. ^ Sharma, S.R. (1940). Jainism and Karnataka Culture. Dharwar, IN: Karnatak Historical Research Society. p. 76.
  47. ^ Dalal, Roshen (2010). Hinduism: An alphabetical guide. Penguin Books India. p. 338. ISBN 9780143414216.
  48. ^ Ramanujan, A.K. (1991). "Three hundred Rāmāyaṇas: Five examples and Three thoughts on Translation". In Paula Richman (ed.). Many Rāmāyaṇas: The diversity of a narrative tradition in south Asia. University of California Press. p. 35. ISBN 978-0-520-07589-4.
  49. ^ Pandian, M.S.S. (2 November 1998). . Outlook India. Archived from the original on 16 January 2018. Retrieved 20 June 2019.
  50. ^ Nalankilli, Thanjai (April 2006). . Tamil Tribune. Archived from the original on 8 January 2018.
  51. ^ Sivapriyan, E.T.B. (5 August 2020). "Ram Temple: Tamilians praise Ravana on Twitter". Deccan Herald. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
  52. ^ Yamunan, Sruthisagar (6 July 2019). "Why Sri Lanka named its first-ever satellite after Ravana". Scroll.in. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
  53. ^ "Arvind Trivedi Did Not Want to Play Ravan in Ramayan But This Veteran Actor Convinced Him". News18. 21 April 2020.
  54. ^ Jain, Madhu (30 September 1988). "Bharat Ek Khoj: The making of most extravagant serial ever". India Today.
  55. ^ "Zee TV enters new genre with 'Ravan' on Saturdays at 9". Indiantelevision.com. 16 November 2006.
  56. ^ a b "These actors who played Raavan role in Ramayana". News Track. 11 April 2020.
  57. ^ a b "Ravan number 1: Why these actors would play Ravan over Ram anyday". The Times of India. 30 September 2017.

Bibliography Edit

  • Doniger, Wendy (1993). Purana Perennis: Reciprocity and transformation in Hindu and Jaina texts. SUNY Press. ISBN 9780791413814 – via Google Books.
  • Udayakumar, S.P. (2005). Presenting the Past: Anxious history and ancient future in Hindutva India. Greenwood Publishing Group.

External links Edit

  • . Ramayana Research. Archived from the original on 8 July 2013.
Preceded by Emperor of Lanka Succeeded by

ravana, several, terms, redirect, here, other, uses, ravan, disambiguation, ɑː, sanskrit, वण, iast, rāvaṇa, pronounced, ˈraːʋɐɳɐ, multi, headed, rakshasa, king, island, lanka, chief, antagonist, hindu, epic, ramayana, ramayana, described, eldest, sage, vishrav. Several terms redirect here For other uses see Ravan disambiguation Ravana ˈ r ɑː v e n e 1 Sanskrit र वण IAST Ravaṇa pronounced ˈraːʋɐɳɐ is a multi headed rakshasa king 2 of the island of Lanka and the chief antagonist in the Hindu epic Ramayana 3 4 In the Ramayana Ravana is described as the eldest son of sage Vishrava and Kaikesi He abducted Prince Rama s wife Sita and took her to his kingdom of Lanka where he held her in the Ashoka Vatika 5 Rama with the support of vanara King Sugriva and his army of vanaras launched an invasion against Ravana in Lanka Ravana was subsequently slain and Rama rescued his beloved wife Sita 6 7 RavanaRavana South India 18th century AD Devanagariर वणSanskrit transliterationRavaṇaAffiliationThe King of Lanka RakshasaPredecessorKubera King of Lanka SuccessorVibhishana King of Lanka AbodeLankaMountPushpaka chariotTextsRamayana and its versionsPersonal informationParentsVishrava father Kaikashi mother SiblingsKumbhakarna Vibhishana Khara Dushan Ahiravana Mahiravana Shurpanakha SpouseMandodariDhanyamaliniChildrenIndrajit Atikaya Akshayakumara Narantaka Devantaka Trishira Ravana is widely portrayed as being an evil character though he is also a learned scholar He was well versed in the six shastras and the four Vedas including the Shiva Tandava Stotra 8 Ravana is also considered to be the most revered devotee of Shiva Images of Ravana are often seen associated with Shiva at temples He also appears in the Buddhist Mahayana text Laṅkavatara Sutra in Buddhist Jatakas as well as in Jain Ramayanas In some scriptures he is depicted as one of Vishnu s cursed doorkeepers 9 Contents 1 Etymology 2 Iconography 3 Life and legends 3 1 Birth 3 2 Boon from Brahma 3 3 Devotee of Shiva 3 4 Family 3 5 Priestly ministers 4 Other legends 4 1 Vishnu s cursed doorkeeper 4 2 Conflict with other kings and Asuras 4 3 Rape of Rambha 5 Worship and temples 5 1 Worship 5 2 Temples 6 Influence on culture and art 6 1 Ravana Dahan burning effigy of Ravana 6 2 Ravanahatha 7 In other religions 7 1 Jainism 7 2 Dravidian movement 8 In popular culture 8 1 Films 8 2 Television 8 3 Web series 9 See also 10 References 11 Bibliography 12 External linksEtymology Edit nbsp Statue of Ravana at Koneswaram Hindu Temple Sri LankaThe word Ravaṇa Sanskrit र वण means roaring active the opposite of Vaisravaṇa which means to hear distinctly passive 10 11 Both Ravana and Vaisravaṇa who is commonly known as Kubera are considered to be patronymics derived from sons of Vishrava 10 11 12 13 Ravana was a title later taken on by Dashanana and it means the one with ten dasha faces anana Further roravana is Sanskrit for loud roaring In Abhinava Gupta s Krama Shaiva scripture yasam ravanam is used as an expression to mean people who are truly aware of the materialism of their environment citation needed Ravana has many other popular names such as Dasis Ravana Dasis Sakvithi Maha Ravana Dashaanan Ravula Lankapati Lankeshwar Lankeshwaran Ravanasura Ravanaeshwaran and Eela Vendhar 14 Iconography EditRavana is depicted and described as having ten heads although he is sometimes shown with only nine heads since he cut one off to convince Shiva 15 He is described as a devout follower of Shiva a great scholar a capable ruler and a maestro of the Veena Ravana is also depicted as the author of the Ravana Samhita a book on Hindu astrology and the Arka Prakasham a book on Siddha medicine and treatment Ravana possessed a thorough knowledge of Siddha and political science He is said to have possessed the nectar of immortality which was stored inside his belly thanks to a celestial boon from Brahma 16 page needed Life and legends EditBirth Edit nbsp The abduction of SitaRavana was born to the sage Vishrava and the Rakshasa princess Kaikesi in Treta Yuga Villagers from Bisrakh in Uttar Pradesh claim that Bisrakh was named after Vishrava and that Ravana was born there 17 However according to Hela historical sources and folklore Ravana was born in Lanka where he later became king 18 Ravana s paternal grandfather the sage Pulastya 19 was one of the ten Prajapatis or mind born sons of Brahma and one of the Saptarishi Seven Great Sages Rishi in the first Manvantara age of Manu His maternal grandfather was Sumali or Sumalaya the king of the Rakshasas and the son of Sukesha Sumali had ten sons and four daughters Sumali wished for Kaikesi to marry the most powerful being in the mortal world so as to produce an exceptional heir He rejected the kings of the world as they were less powerful than him Kaikesi searched among the sages and finally chose Vishrava the father of Kubera Ravana and his siblings were born to the couple and they completed their education from their father with Ravana being a great scholar of the Vedas citation needed Boon from Brahma Edit Ravana and his two brothers Kumbhakarna and Vibhishana performed penance on Mount Gokarna for 11 000 years and won boons from Brahma Ravana was blessed with a boon that would make him invincible to all the creations of Brahma except for humans 20 He also received weapons a chariot as well as the ability to shapeshift from Brahma citation needed According to the Ramayana demigods approached Brahma since Ravana was causing harm on Earth Lord Vishnu appeared and gave blessings that he will incarnate as a human Rama and kill Ravana since his invincibility boon did not include humans 21 Devotee of Shiva Edit See also Ravananugraha nbsp Ravananugraha themeOne of the most popular images of Shiva is called Ravananugraha which was popular in the Gupta era It depicts Ravana beneath Mount Kailash playing a veena made out of his head and hands and strings made out of his tendons while Shiva and Parvati sit on top of the mountain 22 full citation needed According to scriptures Ravana once tried to lift Mount Kailash but Shiva pushed the mountain into place and trapped Ravana beneath it For a thousand years the imprisoned Ravana sang Shiva Tandava Stotra a hymn in praise of Shiva who finally blessed him and granted him an invincible sword and a powerful linga Shiva s iconic symbol Atmalinga to worship 23 22 Family Edit nbsp Queen Mandodari and the women of Lanka mourning the death of Ravana Bas relief of 9th century Prambanan Temple Java IndonesiaRavana s parents were the sage Vishrava son of Pulastya and Kaikesi daughter of Sumali and Tataka or Ketumati Ravana had ten maternal uncles and three maternal aunts Dhumraksha Prahastha Akampana Maricha and Subahu a few of his maternal uncles were generals in the Lanka army Kaikesi s father Sumali was instrumental in making Ravana the king of Lanka by advising him to receive boons from Brahma defeat Kubera and establish rakshasa rule in the three worlds 24 Ravana s granduncle was Malyavan who opposed the war with Rama and Lakshmana He also had another granduncle named Mali who was killed by Vishnu 24 Ravana had seven brothers and two sisters named Kubera Kumbhakarna Vibhishana Khara Dushana Ahiravan Kumbhini Sahastra Ravana and Shurpanakha Ravana had three wives Mandodari the daughter of the celestial architect Maya Dhanyamalini and a third wife His sons from his three wives were Meghanada Atikaya Akshayakumara Narantaka Devantaka Trishira and Prahasta Priestly ministers Edit In some accounts Ravana is said to have had Shukracharya the priest of the Asuras as his minister and in other accounts Brihaspati the priest of the Devas citation needed One account narrates how Ravana ordered Brihaspati to recite the Chandi stava mantras of Chandi more specifically the Devi Mahatmya in order to stave off defeat According to the Krttivasa text Ravana arranged for a peaceful yajna and invited Brihaspati to start the recitation of Chandi 25 full citation needed nbsp Ravana in Sanskrit drama of Kerala India Kutiyattam Artist Guru Natyacharya Mani Madhava Chakyar 26 Other legends EditVishnu s cursed doorkeeper Edit In the Bhagavata Purana Ravana and his brother Kumbhakarna are said to be reincarnations of Jaya and Vijaya gatekeepers at Vaikuntha the abode of Vishnu and were cursed to be born on Earth for their insolence 27 These gatekeepers refused entry to the Sanatha Kumara monks who because of their powers and austerity appeared as young children For their insolence the monks cursed them to be expelled from Vaikuntha and to be born on Earth 27 9 Vishnu agreed that they should be punished and gave them two options First that they could be born seven times as normal mortals and devotees of Vishnu or strong and three times as powerful but as enemies of Vishnu Eager to be back with the Lord they chose the latter option The curse of the first birth was fulfilled by Hiranyakashipu and his brother Hiranyaksha in Satya Yuga when they were both vanquished by earlier avatars of Vishnu Hiranyaksha by Varaha and Hiranyakashipu by Narasimha Ravana and his brother Kumbhakarna were born to fulfill the curse in their second birth as enemies of Vishnu in Treta Yuga The curse of the third birth was fulfilled by Dantavakra and Shishupala in the Dvapara Yuga when they both were slain by Krishna the eighth avatar 9 Conflict with other kings and Asuras Edit Throughout his life Ravana had gotten into conflict with several major Asuras citation needed In Maheshwar Madhya Pradesh he is said to have fought and lost to Kartavirya Arjuna Ravana was vanquished by the Ikshvaku King Mandhata an ancestor of Rama as well as by the sage Kapila In the Ramayana he fought Vali the Kishkindha king but was defeated by him because of his boon to obtain half the strength of anyone he fought 28 He also fought with the Nivatakavachas descendants of Prahlada but struck an alliance with them after being unable to defeat them Once upon hearing a discourse from Sage Sanatkumara Ravana attempted to invade Vaikuntha Only Ravana managed to enter Vaikuntha s capital Shwetadwipa where he was hopelessly outmatched by the inhabitants and was forced to retreat He killed Anaranya the king of Ayodhya although he cursed Ravana to be slain by Rama Ravana had wrestled his brother Kubera for the Pushpaka Vimana He also fought Marutta Chakravarti King of Ushiraviga Gadhi Vishwamitra s father Dushyanta Bharata s father Suratha King of Vidarbha Gaya Chakravarti king of Dharmaranya and Paurava King of Anga Rape of Rambha Edit Ravana is regarded to have once caught sight of the apsara Rambha and was filled with lust Even as the apsara resisted his advances by asserting that she was his daughter in law he raped her When she reported this to her husband Nalakuvara he cursed Ravana to be unable to cause violence to any woman who did not consent to being with him his head splitting into a number of pieces if he did so This incident is stated to explain why Ravana could not force the abducted Sita to submit to his desire 29 30 Worship and temples Edit nbsp Thotsakan Ravana s sculpture as a guardian of Wat Phra Kaew ThailandWorship Edit Ravana is worshipped as one of Shiva s most revered followers 31 and he is even worshipped in some Shiva temples 31 32 33 Ravana is worshipped by the Kanyakubja Brahmins of the Vidisha region who see him as a savior and a sign of prosperity claiming Ravana was also a Kanyakubja Brahmin Thousands of Kanyakubja Brahmins of the village Ravangram of Netaran in the Vidisha District of Madhya Pradesh perform daily puja in the Ravana temple and offer naivedyam or bhog a ritual of sacrifice to the gods King Shiv Shankar built a Ravana temple in Kanpur Uttar Pradesh The Ravana temple is open once a year on the day of Dashera to perform puja for the welfare of Ravana 34 Ravana is also worshipped by Hindus of Bisrakh who claim their town to be his birthplace 35 The Sachora Brahmins of Gujarat claim to be descendants of Ravana and sometimes have Ravan as their surnames 36 Saraswat Brahmins from Mathura claim Ravana as a saraswat Brahmin as per his lineage 37 38 There has also been reference to Ravani the lineage of Upadhyaya Yasastrata II who was of the Gautama gotra and Acharya Vasudatta s son and described as born of Ravani 39 full citation needed The Gondi people of central India claim to be descendants of Ravana and have temples for him his wife Mandodari and their son Meghnad They also state that Ravana was an ancient Gond king the tenth dharmaguru of their tribe and the eighteenth lingo divine teacher Annually on Dussehra the Gondis from the village of Paraswadi carry an image of Ravana riding on an elephant in a procession 40 Temples Edit The following temples in India are for Ravana as a Shiva Bhakta Dashanan Temple Kanpur Uttar Pradesh 41 Ravana Temple Bisrakh Greater Noida Uttar Pradesh 41 Kakinada Ravana Temple Andhra Pradesh 41 Ravangram Ravana Temple Vidisha Madhya Pradesh 41 Mandsaur Madhya Pradesh 41 Mandore Ravan Temple Jodhpur 42 Baijanath Temple Kangra District Himachal Pradesh 42 Influence on culture and art Edit nbsp Ravana with Hanuman in tholu bommalata a shadow puppet tradition of Andhra Pradesh India nbsp A carnival of RavanaRavana Dahan burning effigy of Ravana Edit nbsp An effigy of Ravana with burning sparklers on Dusshera Dashehra Diwali Mela in Manchester England 2006Effigies of Ravana are burned on Vijayadashami in many places throughout India to symbolize Rama s triumph over evil 43 Ravanahatha Edit According to mythology the ravanahatha an ancient bowed string instrument was created by Ravana and is still used as a Rajasthani folk instrument 44 In other religions EditIn the Rin spuns pa Tibetan Ramayana it is prophesied that Ravana will return as the Buddha incarnation of Vishnu in Kali Yuga The Arunachal Pradesh Tai Khamti Ramayana Phra Chow Lamang shows Rama as a Bodhisattva who was reborn so Ravana could torture him In the Laotian Buddhist text Phra Lak Phra Lam Rama is a Bodhisattva and the embodiment of virtues while Ravana is a Brahmin mahabrahma son of Virulaha who is highly materialistic citation needed In the Cambodian Buddhist text Preah Ream Buddha is an incarnation of Rama and Ravana is a rakshasa citation needed In the Thai Buddhist text Ramakien Ravana is a rakshasa 45 known as Thotsakan thsknth from Sanskrit दशकण ठ Dasakaṇṭha ten necks and is depicted with green skin citation needed In the Karandavyuha Sutra Yama asks if the visitor in hell Avalokitesvara whom he hasn t seen yet is a god or a demon and whether he is Vishnu Mahesvara or the rakshasa Ravana Jainism Edit Further information Salakapurusa Jain accounts vary from the traditional Hindu accounts of the Ramayana The incidents are placed at the time of the 20th Tirthankara Munisuvrata In Jainism both Rama and Ravana were devout Jains 46 Ravana was a Vidyadhara king who had magical powers 47 and Lakshmana not Rama was the one who ultimately killed Ravana 48 Dravidian movement Edit Pulavar Kuzhanthai s Ravana Kaaviyam is a panegyric on Ravana that is made up of 3 100 poetic stanzas in which Ravana is the hero The book was released in 1946 and was subsequently banned by India s Congress led government The ban was later lifted in 1971 49 50 51 In popular culture EditSri Lanka named its first satellite Raavana 1 after Ravana 52 Films Edit Title Played by Year LanguageBhookailas 1940 film Subbaiah Naidu 1940 TeluguRambaan Chandra Mohan 1948 HindiSampoorna Ramayanam T K Bhagavathi 1958 TamilSampoorna Ramayana B M Vyas 1961 HindiBhookailas 1958 film N T Rama Rao 1958 TeluguSita Rama Kalyanam N T Rama Rao 1961 TeluguIndrajeet Sati Sulochana S V Ranga Rao 1961 TeluguSampoorna Ramayanam 1971 film S V Ranga Rao 1971 TeluguSita Kalyanam Kaikala Satyanarayana 1976 TeluguBajrangbali Prem Nath 1976 HindiSri Rama Pattabhishekam N T Rama Rao 1978 TeluguBrahmarshi Viswamitra N T Rama Rao 1991 TeluguRamayana The Legend of Prince Rama Amrish Puri voice 1992 EnglishRamayanam Swathi Baalineni 1996 TeluguRaavanan Vikram Based on Ravana s character 2010 TamilRamayana The Epic Ashutosh Rana voice 2010 HindiAdipurush Saif Ali Khan 2023 MultiTelevision Edit Title Played by Channel CountryRamayan Arvind Trivedi 53 DD National IndiaBharat Ek Khoj Om Puri 54 DD NationalJai Hanuman Anil Yadav DD MetroVishnu Puran Nimai Bali Zee TVDD NationalRamayan Surendra Pal Zee TVRaavan 55 Narendra Jha Zee TVRamayan Akhilendra Mishra 56 NDTV ImagineJai Jai Jai Bajrang Bali Nimai Bali Sahara OneDevon Ke Dev Mahadev Tarun Khanna 57 Life OKRamayan Sachin Tyagi Zee TVRamleela Ajay Devgn Ke Saath Aman Verma Life OKSiya Ke Ram Karthik Jayaram 57 Star PlusSankat Mochan Mahabali Hanumaan Aarya Babbar Saurav Gurjar Sony Entertainment TelevisionVighnaharta Ganesha Paras Chhabra 56 Sony Entertainment TelevisionRam Siya Ke Luv Kush Shalin Bhanot Colors TVRavana Januka Rajapaksha TV Derana Sri Lanka citation needed Web series Edit The Legend of Hanuman Sharad Kelkar Ramyug Sharad KelkarSee also EditAsura Bull Demon King Daitya Danava Hinduism Keibu Keioiba RaksasaReferences Edit Ravana Random House Webster s Unabridged Dictionary Cartwright Mark Ravana World History Encyclopedia Retrieved 26 February 2021 Wheeler James Talboys 1869 The History of India from the Earliest Ages Vol II The Ramayana and the Vedic period N Trubner amp Co p 281 Brown Nathan Robert 2 August 2011 The Mythology of Supernatural The signs and symbols behind the popular TV show Berkley Boulevard books Newwork ISBN 9781101517529 Retrieved 12 May 2020 Sunderkand explanation PDF sunderkandsatsangsamuh org Archived from the original PDF on 18 July 2021 Retrieved 12 May 2020 Das Subhamoy The Ramayana Learn Religions Retrieved 12 May 2020 Summary by Stephen Knapp Ravana Encyclopaedia Britannica Retrieved 12 May 2020 Valmiki Menon Ramesh 26 May 2004 The Ramayana A Modern Retelling of the Great Indian Epic Macmillan ISBN 978 0 86547 695 0 a b c Pankaj Bhavana 31 July 2019 Where Ravana is Vishnu s true Bhakta The Statesman Retrieved 1 July 2020 a b Aiyangar Narayan 1909 Essays On Indo Aryan Mythology Vol p 413 a b Cologne Scan sanskrit lexicon uni koeln de The Ramayaṇa of Valmiki An Epic of Ancient India Ayodhyakaṇḍa Motilal Banarsidass Publishers 25 April 2007 p 30 ISBN 9788120831636 via Google Books Hopkins Edward Washburn 1915 Epic Mythology Strassburg DE K J Trubner p 142 10 Names of Ravana LifeStalker 6 October 2014 Retrieved 18 May 2021 When Ravana tore his head and a hand to apologize to Lord Shiva www mensxp com 26 October 2015 Retrieved 5 May 2022 Valmiki Ramayana Tulsidas Vibhishana Lanka Kanda Samvaad Rama eds Ramcharitmanas Dutta Prabhash K 10 October 2016 Did you know Ravana was born in Greater Noida West India Today Retrieved 2 July 2020 Unknown Interesting Hidden Mythological Facts About Ravana Shiprocket Social Blog 11 October 2016 Retrieved 5 May 2022 Rajarajan R K K 2018 Woven Threads of the Ramayaṇa The Early Aḻvars on Brahma and Ravaṇa Romanian Journal of Indian Studies 2 9 45 Manglik Reshu 29 September 2017 Happy Dussehra 2017 11 important facts to know about Ravana primary antagonist of epic Ramayana indiatvnews com Retrieved 14 July 2020 Rosen Steven 2006 Essential Hinduism Westport Conn Praeger pp 68 69 ISBN 0 275 99006 0 OCLC 70775665 a b Kala pp 38 42 Rathore Vinod 29 June 2020 Know the unique story of Ravana s devotion to Shiva News Track Retrieved 14 July 2020 a b Mittal J P 2006 History of Ancient India a new version From 7300 BC to 4250 BC Atlantic Publishers amp Dist p 200 ISBN 978 81 269 0615 4 Nagar Shanti Lal Genesis and Evolution of the Rama Katha in Indian Art Thought Literature and Culture From the earliest period to modern times Vol 2 Chakyar Mani Madhava 1996 Natyakalpadrumam New Delhi IN Sangeet Natak Akademi p 6 a b Ninan M M 23 June 2008 The Development of Hinduism Madathil Mammen Ninan p 241 ISBN 978 1 4382 2820 4 Valmiki January 1988 Venkatesananda Swami ed The Concise Ramayaṇa of Valmiki SUNY Press ISBN 978 0 88706 862 1 Doniger Wendy March 2014 On Hinduism OUP USA p 535 ISBN 978 0 19 936007 9 Valmiki 2007 The Ramayaṇa of Valmiki An Epic of Ancient India Araṇyakaṇḍa Motilal Banarsidass Publishe p 393 ISBN 978 81 208 3164 3 a b Ravana has his temples too Spectrum The Sunday Tribune 21 October 2007 Vachaspati S 2005 Ravana Brahma Tenali India Rudrakavi Sahitya Peetham Gandhi Nagar Dave Kamalesh Kumar 2008 Dashanan in Hindi Jodhpur India Akshaya Jyotish Anusandan Kendra Siddiqui Faiz 10 October 2016 A temple where demon king has his day The Times of India Retrieved 14 September 2018 Only the elderly come to mourn Ravana in birthplace Bisrakh The Indian Express 4 October 2014 Retrieved 14 June 2016 People of India Vol 4 A G Oxford University Press p 3061 Mathura lawyer seeks ban on burning of Ravana effigies The Indian Express 26 September 2017 Qureshi Siraj 12 October 2016 A Dussehra without burning Ravana This Brahmin community in Agra wants an end to practice India Today no title cited Indian Culture Journal of the Indian Research Institute I B Corporation 15 Rashid Omar 24 October 2015 Celebrating Ravan The Hindu a b c d e Five temples of Ravana in India where demon king is worshipped India TV 11 October 2016 a b Unique Ravana temples in India Travel guide Native Planet 27 April 2018 Dussehra 2018 What is the significance Of Ravana Dahan Dehli news NDTV com Retrieved 1 July 2020 Sri Lankan revives Ravana s musical instrument The Island Sri Lanka 9 March 2008 Vyas Lallan Prasad Prachi Darshan p 98 Sharma S R 1940 Jainism and Karnataka Culture Dharwar IN Karnatak Historical Research Society p 76 Dalal Roshen 2010 Hinduism An alphabetical guide Penguin Books India p 338 ISBN 9780143414216 Ramanujan A K 1991 Three hundred Ramayaṇas Five examples and Three thoughts on Translation In Paula Richman ed Many Ramayaṇas The diversity of a narrative tradition in south Asia University of California Press p 35 ISBN 978 0 520 07589 4 Pandian M S S 2 November 1998 Ravana as antidote Outlook India Archived from the original on 16 January 2018 Retrieved 20 June 2019 Nalankilli Thanjai April 2006 Censorship of Dravidian voices in Tamil Nadu India in 1948 1949 Tamil Tribune Archived from the original on 8 January 2018 Sivapriyan E T B 5 August 2020 Ram Temple Tamilians praise Ravana on Twitter Deccan Herald Retrieved 21 November 2021 Yamunan Sruthisagar 6 July 2019 Why Sri Lanka named its first ever satellite after Ravana Scroll in Retrieved 2 July 2020 Arvind Trivedi Did Not Want to Play Ravan in Ramayan But This Veteran Actor Convinced Him News18 21 April 2020 Jain Madhu 30 September 1988 Bharat Ek Khoj The making of most extravagant serial ever India Today Zee TV enters new genre with Ravan on Saturdays at 9 Indiantelevision com 16 November 2006 a b These actors who played Raavan role in Ramayana News Track 11 April 2020 a b Ravan number 1 Why these actors would play Ravan over Ram anyday The Times of India 30 September 2017 Bibliography EditDoniger Wendy 1993 Purana Perennis Reciprocity and transformation in Hindu and Jaina texts SUNY Press ISBN 9780791413814 via Google Books Udayakumar S P 2005 Presenting the Past Anxious history and ancient future in Hindutva India Greenwood Publishing Group External links Edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ravana nbsp Wikiquote has quotations related to Ravana Rawana the Historical King of Heladiwa Ramayana Research Archived from the original on 8 July 2013 Preceded byKubera Emperor of Lanka Succeeded byVibhisana Portals nbsp Hinduism nbsp India nbsp Religion nbsp Sri Lanka Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ravana amp oldid 1179620844, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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