THE MOST BELOVED VILLAIN AMONG INDIAN EPICS

THE Ramayana, as I discovered when living in Southeast Asia, is very much the 'Epic of Asia'.

- RENUKA NARAYANAN

Years ago, I gave an illustrated talk to that effect at the National Museum in Bangkok during the International Ramayana Festival. Back home, I, like many others, was intrigued by how Ravana is perceived differently in different regions. But there are nuances. For instance, Ravana is not 'worshipped' in Sri Lanka as some say, but he is certainly held in great esteem. There seems to be a statue of him carved on the wall of Koneswaram Temple, an important historical Shaiva temple at Trincomalee. There are two factors at play here concerning why he is so important.

One is that the anti-hero of the Ramayana had to be a big enough figure to be a worthy opponent of an avatar, namely Vishnu's seventh avatar, Sri Rama. So obviously, Ravana had to be a mighty warrior, a fabulously rich king, a gifted musician and poet, and a very attractive man.

His 'ten heads' were symbolic of his multi-talented personality.

A sub-fact here is that while Rama was a mighty Kshatriya, Ravana was a Brahmin born of great rishis in North India, in Bisrakh, Noida, Uttar Pradesh. His father was Vaishrava Rishi and grandfather was Pulastya Rishi, one of the old order of Saptarishi or Seven Sages who constitute the Saptarishi Mandala, the constellation otherwise known as Ursa Major, the Big Bear or the Big Dipper.