Kanpur:The Hindus held special prayers to honour the demon king Ravana here on Monday even as everywhere else it was a festival of 'Dussehra' marking his destruction. 'Dussehra' signifies the triumph of good over evil. Even as the demon king Ravana is vilified and his effigy burnt in most parts of the country on Dussehra, the people here worship and glorify him to honour his intelligence and valour. They don't burn effigies
of Ravana, but offer prayers and worship him as god at the Dashanan Temple in
the town that opens once a year on Dussehra. "We celebrate Ravana's birthday.
He was born on the day of Vijayadashmi and coincidentally Lord Ram killed him
on the same day. We decorate the idol of Ravana and conduct prayers and distribute
prasad," said KK Tiwari, a temple organiser. 'Dussehra' marks the triumph of
good over evil. According to Hindu mythology, on this day, Lord Rama beheaded
Ravana, the hydra with ten heads. Effigies of Ravana's brother Kumbhakarna and
his son Meghnath are also burnt on the occasion.
