Temple of Ravana

The temple of Ravana is situated in Jodhpur, Rajasthan. According to the epic Ramayana, he was a villain and kidnapped Sita (wife of Rama). Ultimately he was killed by Lord Rama. Though he was a villain he was one of the sincere devotees of Lord Shiva. Hence the Dave Brahmins, who claimed to be the descendants of Ravana, believe that Ravana should be worshipped as he was superhuman, a Brahmin and also the king of the three worlds and constructed a temple for him. Daily puja is performed here and death anniversary is performed on Dussehra.

About 200 families, believed to be descendents of Ravana and from Mudgal Gotra, still live in Jodhpur. About 110 families stay in Jodhpur town and 70 other families live in nearby Phalodi. 

MORE RAVANA TEMPLES : - 

Here are several temples where Ravana is worshipped.Ravana is considered most revered devotee of Lord Shiva. The images of Ravana are seen associated with lord Shiva at some places.

There is a huge Shivalinga in Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh, supposedly installed by Ravana himself, with a statue of Ravana near by. Both Shivalinga and Ravana are worshiped by the fishermen community there.

Thousands of Kanyakubja Brahmins of the village Ravangram of Netaran, in the Vidisha District of Madhya Pradesh, perform daily puja (worship) in the Ravan temple and offer naivedyam / bhog (a ritual of sacrifice to the Gods). Centuries ago King Shiv Shankar built a Ravana temple at Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. The Ravana temple is opened once in a year, on Dashehra Day, to perform puja for the welfare of Ravana.

Being a one of its kind temple, the Dashanan Ravana temple located in the bustling city of Kanpur is unique. Ravana certainly has cemented his place as the demon king in the Ramayana epic. The doors of this temple are open for the general public only on the day of Dussehra. The idol of Ravana is decorated and worshiped by the devotees as a symbol of power. In the evening, the effigy of Ravana is incinerated completely and the temple closes its doors to everyone till the next year.

A Jain temple in Alwar, Rajasthan is called the Ravan Parsvanath Temple. The legend says that Ravana used to worship Parsvanath daily. While Ravana was on tour to Alwar he realised that he forgot to bring the image of Parsvanath. Mandodari, Ravana's wife, is said to have made an image of Parsvanath immediately. And hence the Ravan Parsvanath temple at Alwar.

Ravana is said to have married Princess Mandodari at a place about 8 kilometres away from Jodhpur, which is now called Mandor. There is a mandap(altar or pavilion) where Ravana is said to have married Mandodari, and which the local people call Ravan Ki Chanwari.