From Madhya Pradesh to Maharashtra, several communities honour Ravana as a scholar, devotee, and ancestor

Every year, Dussehra is celebrated across India with grandeur as towering effigies of Ravana, Meghnad, and Kumbhkaran go up in flames, symbolising the triumph of good over evil. While most of the country remembers Ravana as the abductor of Sita and the adversary of Lord Rama, there are pockets where the Lanka King is revered instead of reviled.

Across different regions, Ravana is seen as a great scholar, a staunch devotee of Lord Shiva, and in some cases even as an ancestor. His wisdom and devotion are remembered with rituals, shraddh, and festivals, where burning his effigy is considered inauspicious.

In Ravangram village of Vidisha district, a 10-foot reclining idol of Ravana is w

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