3 Indian temples that worship Ravana 

Ravana, the ten-headed king of the mythological kingdom of Lanka, and the antagonist of the Hindu epic Ramayana, is commonly believed to be an evil figure. However, many of us don’t know that he was a highly learned scholar, a master of fine arts, an accomplished astrologer and warrior, a man of tremendous penances and Lord Shiva's most venerated devotee too! In fact, you’ll be surprised to know that the demon king is actually worshipped in a few temples across India. Yes, that’s correct!  Let us explore three such temples that look beyond Ravana’s demonic acts and worship the man beneath. 

Ravana Temple, Bisrakh, NOIDA 
According to folklore, Bisrakh, located near Greater NOIDA in Uttar Pradesh, is the birthplace of Ravana. Bisrakh has a temple dedicated to the mythological demon king Ravana.  In this region, Ravana is revered as a god. The Hindu festival of Dussehra that is usually commemorated burning Ravana's effigies is not celebrated here. Rather, the nine days of Navratri are a time of mourning the Maha Brahman (Ravana) in Bisrakh.  

Legends would have us believe that Ravana’s father, Vishravas, found a Shiva Linga in the forest and brought it to this village. Interestingly, an octagonal Shiva Linga, probably the only one of its kind, has been found in Bisrakh during the excavation in the Shiva temple premise by the Archaeological Survey of India. They found a hidden cave, bricks, coins and other relics too. The two-and-a-half-foot-high Shiva Linga visible above actually extends about eight feet underground! Locals believe it is the same Shiva Linga that was worshipped by Ravana and his sage father.  

Bonus fact: Bisrakh was named after Ravana's father Vishravas. However, the original name got shortened overtime. 

Dashanan Temple, Kanpur 
This is another well-known temple dedicated to the erudite scholar-cum-demon king Ravana is located in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. ‘Dashanan’ literally translates to ‘having ten heads’ which is indicative of Ravana. King Guru Prasad Shukl is said to have built the 125-year-old Dashanan Mandir or Dashanan Temple in Kanpur's Shivala area back in 1890.  

Well, the most unique thing about the temple is that it opens its doors to worshippers only once a year. As you might have easily guessed, that one day is Dussehra, the tenth day of the Navratri festival. However, the temple does not celebrate Lord Rama’s victory. On the contrary, it commemorates Ravana who is revered in the temple as a God, not as the demon he is thought to be. It honours his wisdom, intellect, and generosity as a monarch and qualities that are overlooked. 

Ravana Temple, Kakinada 
One of the most famous Ravana temples is located in the East Godavari district in the Kakinada city of Andhra Pradesh. The temple gate features a massive Ravana sculpture with his ten heads. What’s more amazing is that Lord Shiva idols can also be found inside the temple. Ravana himself is thought to have chosen this location for a Shiva temple. In fact, his adoration for Lord Shiva is evidenced by a massive Shiva Lingam mural at the site. That’s quite interesting, isn’t it? However, no one knows who actually built the temple.