Happy Monday guys!!!

When I was little girl, my grandfather used to read me Ramayana. The story used to fascinate me. Now after all these years, I want to know the story from Ravana’s perspective. I’ve been following a TV serial based on Ravana and I’m finding it really interesting.

It’s been a boring Monday morning. Wanted to open a new thread to see how my friends in Sajha were doing :)

Dautari.............I think Srilankan are right.
We look Ramayan from different perspective where Ram is good and Ravana is evil.
But may b they look it in the other way. And Ravana must be preety bold to stand against the vast nation of India who tried to supress Srilanka.
And have you heard Ravana doing anything very wrong except abducting Sita?????
As far as I am concerned I have not heard that...............

In Jodhpur, India, they are building a temple dedicated to King Ravana to project him as a scholar, thinker and philosopher. They are said to be interested in this because Ravana's wife Mandodari was from Jodhpur.

Ravana is a prime example of the fact that absolute power corrupts absolutely. Ravana must have started as a pious guy. He was a devotee of Shiva. He got many boons from Brahma and Shiva. He was highly learned. He was a great warrior. In fact, he was simply very great. But the greatness probably gave way to a corrupt mind and greed. He must have become intoxicated by his greatness, thus making him go down the path of evil.

Some scriptures say that Sita was biological daughter of Ravana.

And after all, Ravana was half-Brahmin as his father was a Rishi.

I found the news story online too ... here it is, from Hindustan times website:



A temple for demon king Ravana in Jodhpur

Indo-Asian News Service

Jodhpur, December 16, 2006



A temple dedicated to Ravana, the demon king in Hindu epic Ramayana, is coming up in Jodhpur.

Located about 320 km from Jodhpur, it would be the first temple of its kind in north India.

The idol of Ravana is being sculpted using Jodhpur stone by Chunilal from Osian area and is likely to be installed in six months.

"The temple will be built in the premises of Navgrah (nine planets) temple in Chandpole area," Kamlesh Kumar Dave, a priest said.

"The temple will project Ravana as a scholar, writer, thinker, philosopher and his religious devotion and perception," he said.

According to historians, Jodhpur has had an association with Ravana. His wife Mandodari is said to be from Mandore, the ancient capital of Jodhpur state.

(http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1869956,0006.htm)

An excerpt from a story titled "An epic twist in tale" published in January 7 issue of Deccan Herald:

"However, in parts of South India as well as in South-East Asian countries like Indonesia, it is Ravana who is worshipped as a hero."

This is an article about the serial sndy is talking about:

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1061211/asp/calcutta/story_7124568.asp

I've also heard that Sita is Ravana's daughter..don't have anything to support it but that's what I heard too.

I also didn't know that Ravana and all his brothers were born at the same time.

Sita is from Janakpur and Ravana is from Sri Lanka... how can he be biological dad?? And why would he abduct her if she was his daughter?? I am confused now!!

:-)

Camo,
Janak is not a biological father of Sita ni..so probably bhanya ho ki. I really don't know.

Ravan ko sasurali ho ni ta Jodhpur... Jwai Saab ko mandir banauna lagya hola ni ta..

Didn't know his sasural was jodhpur..mai chori..that's news for me :)

In the serial, it was shown that he was born along with his other three siblings. People are aware of Bibhisan, Kumbhakarna and Suparnakha as his siblings but he also had another sister Kumbhini and other brothers Khar, Dushan and Ahiravan. Kuber was his half brother, born to same father Visharva (son of Rishi Pulastya - on of Sapta Rishi and son of Brahma)..

sndy Mandori was from Mandodar, Jodhpur and I think her father was Maya... you know the work Mayavi.... etc. hahaha somehow related.. :)

Mai Chhori, you mentioned Ahiravan as one of his brothers. I thought Ahiravan was his son.

Camoflaged, some scriptures say that Sita was born as Ravana's daughter but for some reason, the baby had to be thrown away (I don't remember why, but I think it had something to do with a Kamsa-style "bhavishyavani" that told Ravana that the girl will bring about his demise). The person who was supposed to have "disposed" of Sita, could not kill the infant and instead buried her alive in the earth ("dharti maata"), who preserved the infant's life until King Janaka unearthed the baby.

Ahiravan was his brother. Ravan had three wives and seven sons: Indrajit (Meghnath), Devantaka,Narantaka, Prahasta, Atikaya, Akshayakumara and Trishira

I think Dautari is right about the sita............she may be the daughter of Ravana............that's y nothing happened to Sita........(khai mero sochai)
And guys things u r posting are much interesting .........
We have been hearing that Ravana is wicked and evil...........but I have not heared Ravana doing anything wrong except abducting Sita.
I also heared that Ravana was goin to make a bridge to join heaven and earth , but due to his 'jai bholi'-personality he cud not finish it.

And anybody know about the 10 heads of Ravana?

and the temple thing is cool.........

Pretty had written earlier about the 10 heads
" Ravana's father was a great scientist and he created this crystal locket, when u wear it due to the the reflection of light on it showed as if there were 10 heads. Later on Ravan got that locket"

I have heard about Sita being Ravan's daughter also but do not know the logic/story behind it. Ravan had raped Apsara Rambha. Kuber or Rambha cursed him that if he rapes any woman henceforth, he would burn and die..

... that was the reason, he stopped marrying after three wives and stopped forcing on women.

..or maybe Ravan knew that Sita is her daughter.. if anybody knows about Sita and Ravan being dad-daughter story.. please feed us :)

they say about Ravan having only 10 heads and not 10 hands (or should it be 20? hahahah) but some paintings of him also shows lots of hands..

He was Brahma's Panaati... Brahma has 4 heads and he has 10 :)

Main chori,
That is again ramayana version of the story..wait till we hear Ravana version of the story..maybe things were distorted :)