An unconventional Dussehra celebration: Kanpur's 'Dashanan Temple' offers prayers to Ravana

In a land of diverse traditions and celebrations, where Dussehra usually signifies the triumph of good over evil and the worship of Lord Rama, there's a temple in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, that treads a distinctive path. The Dashanan Temple, nestled in Kanpur's Shivala area, doesn't follow the conventional route of paying homage to Lord Rama; instead, it offers heartfelt prayers to the demon king Ravana.

While most of India witnesses Dussehra's customary effigy-burning of Ravana, the Dashanan Temple offers a fascinating twist. Here, Ravana, who goes by another name, 'Dashanan,' is not the embodiment of evil but a revered figure, and on Dussehra, he takes centre stage. This temple, enriched with a history spanning over 130 years, maintains a unique tradition. The Dashanan Mandir, is believed to have been built in 1890 by King Guru Prasad Shukl.

#WATCH | Kanpur, UP: Visuals from Dashanan temple as devotees worship Ravan on the occasion of Vijayadashami pic.twitter.com/5hd0WC2VYH

— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) October 24, 2023

A temple of Ravana

The temple's administration takes pride in claiming that, aside from this temple, there's no other place in the entire country where the demon king receives worship. On the day of Dussehra, the temple bestows intricate decorations upon Ravana's idol, purifies it through ritualistic ceremonies, and performs aarti—a sacred form of reverence. The temple's peculiarity is further amplified by the fact that its doors remain closed for all but one day each year, and that's Dussehra.

Speaking about offering prayers to Ravana, even though he is traditionally seen as a symbol of evil, Dashanan temple's purohit, Ram Bajpai, shared an insightful perspective. "We open this temple today and worship Ravana today on the day of Dussehra and then in the evening after burning the effigy we close this temple. It only opens on the day of Dussehra," he said.

Delving into the rationale behind this exceptional practice, Bajpai explained, "We worship Ravana for his knowledge. Nobody was more intelligent than him. He had one fault—he was arrogant. In the evening, we burn an effigy to symbolize the end of that arrogance."

Dussehra, celebrated as the day when Lord Ram vanquished Ravana and rescued his abducted wife, Sita, usually involves the ritual burning of Ravana's effigy in most parts of India. Alongside Ravana, the effigies of his brother Kumbhakarna and son Meghnath also meet the same fiery fate.