Kanpur, October 20, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
While Dussehra celebrations across India traditionally feature the burning of Ravana’s effigies to mark the victory of good over evil, a temple in Uttar Pradesh’s Kanpur observes the festival differently, opening its doors just once a year for devotees to worship the ten-headed king.
The Dashanan Temple, located within the Kailash Temple complex in the Shiwala area, remains closed for 364 days and opens only on Vijayadashami, drawing devotees who seek to honour Ravana’s knowledge, wisdom and devotion to Lord Shiva.
Temple priest Pandit Ram Bajpai said the shrine was built in 1868 by Maharaj Guru Prasad Shukla. On Dussehra morning, the temple doors are opened and Ravana’s idol is ceremonially bathed with milk and holy water before traditional rituals, prayers and aarti are performed.
The temple’s distinctive tradition reflects the belief that Ravana should not be remembered solely as a symbol of evil. Devotees also regard him as a highly learned scholar, an intelligent ruler and a devoted follower of Lord Shiva.
Visitors offer prayers, flowers and oil lamps at the shrine, making the annual opening an important occasion for those who wish to pay tribute to these aspects of Ravana’s legacy.
A similar tradition is followed in Ravana village in Madhya Pradesh’s Vidisha district, where the demon king is worshipped as the presiding deity and affectionately called ‘Ravan Baba’.
Located in Nateran tehsil, the village has an ancient temple that residents believe dates back to the Parmar era. It houses a 12-foot idol of Ravana in a reclining posture, with daily prayers and aarti conducted at the shrine.
Instead of burning Ravana’s effigy on Dussehra, villagers organise Ramayana recitations, devotional singing and a community feast. The celebrations attract devotees from Vidisha, Bhopal and neighbouring areas.
These traditions offer a distinct regional perspective on Vijayadashami, a festival widely associated with the triumph of good over evil, while highlighting the reverence some communities hold for Ravana’s scholarship and religious devotion.
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