Descendants of Ravana hold mourning on Dussehra

India

bbc-Staff

By Staff

Jodhpur, Oct 9 (UNI) While the people throughout the country celebrate Dussehra, an occasion marking the triumph of good over evil, a section of about 100 families believed to be descendants of Ravana, mourn the death of the demon king.

These families of Dave, Godha and Srimal clans settled in different localities of the walled city do not celebrate the occasion, instead they mourn and observe post cremation rituals after burning the effigies of Ravana, kumbhkarna and Meghnaad.

It is said that people migrated from Sri Lanka in Jodhpur, Phalodi and some places in Gujarat belong to the Ravana's clans and his extended family.

Till recently these community people used to observe mourning and related rituals collectively but of late they have started to observe the same at individual level.

Families of these clans also perform the "Shraadh karma" (death anniversary) of the demon king on 10th day during the Pitra Paksha (first fortnight of Ashwin month of India Vikram Calendar), Akshya Jyotish Research Centre Head Kamlesh Dave said.

"We do consider Ravana a learned pundit and a devotee of Lord Shiva. A Ravana Temple has been constructed in the Amarnath Temple premises in Chandpol locality here in which Ravana is shown worshipping Lord Shiva," Mr Dave said.

There was also a popular belief that Mandodari, the queen of Ravana hailed from Mandore near here. Though there was no well founded basis to this belief but the Archaeology and Museums Department has identified a site - Ravana Ki Chawri, an ancient monument, where their marriage ceremony is believed to be solemnised, Mr Dave added.

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