Ambuj Tripathi
ambuj.tripathi@thelucknowjournal.com
Kanpur, October 08: Ravana’s personality, symbolizing the victory of religion over unrighteousness and truth over untruth, is such that his effigies are burnt in the entire country on the occasion of Vijay Dashami. Ravana was guilty of abduction of Sita by disguising himself as a mendicant. Still, Kanpur district of Uttar Pradesh is one such place where Ravana is worshiped on the day of Dussehra (Vijay Dashami). Not only this, the temple of Ravana is also present to worship here, which is opened only once a year on the day of Dussehra.
This temple of Ravan is present in the Shivala area of the industrial city of Kanpur. The doors of this temple were opened on Vijayadashami. During the festival of Vijayadashami, the idol of Ravana is decorated after milk-bath and consecration with following complete rituals and after that worshiping Ravana is performed.
Priest of the temple, Vinod Kumar Shukla said that since 1868 when the temple was built in Kanpur, Demon king has been worshiped continuously in this temple. People wait for the opening of the doors of temple every year and after the puja-archana, Ravana’s aarti is also performed here.
Simple Gupta, a devotee told that there is also a belief about this temple of Ravana that, the wishes of the devotees are fulfilled and therefore people worship Ravana on Dussehra here. Ravana’s birthday is also celebrated here on the day of Dussehra.
