Vidisha's Ravan village worships 'Ravan Baba' on Dussehra instead of burning an effigy

Across the country, Dussehra is generally taken to mean the victory of good over evil and the burning of an effigy of Lankeshwar Ravan. This tradition is followed in most places. But in Madhya Pradesh's Vidisha district, there is a village where Ravan is not burned every Dussehra but worshipped.

The people of this village call Ravan "Ravan Baba". They regard him as the village deity and worship him with devotion. The unusual tradition has drawn special attention to the village.

Ravan village lies in Vidisha district's Nateran tehsil. It has an ancient temple of Ravan, which local people say dates to the Paramara period. The temple has a 12-foot-tall idol of Ravan, in a reclining, sleeping posture. Worship is performed here daily.

On Dussehra, instead of burning the idol, villagers organise a recitation of the Ramayana, devotional songs and a large community meal. Devotees come to the village for the festival from Vidisha, Bhopal and surrounding areas.

Villagers believe Ravan Baba protects the village. For this reason, they follow the tradition of seeking his blessings before starting any auspicious work. Pandit Naresh Tiwari, the temple priest, said the villagers believe the entire village is under Ravan Baba's protection.

Ravan Baba is worshipped before religious and family events such as weddings, pre-wedding rituals, Bhagwat kirtan and Ramayana recitations. Villagers also seek his blessings when buying a new vehicle. It is also a tradition here to give the first wedding invitation to Ravan Baba.

Rajesh Dhakad, representative of the village head, narrated a local legend about the origin of the village's name. According to the legend, a powerful demon wanted to challenge Ravan. Ravan Baba came here to break his pride. Local people say the idol is shown at rest because of this legend.

The story of the village's name has been told for several generations. However, there is no definite date on which the village got the name "Ravan".

The annual Dussehra bhandara (community feast) at the Ravan Baba temple is a major festival of faith for villagers. Many people who have settled outside the village for jobs, business or other reasons also return to the village on this day. Devotees pray to Ravan Baba for their wishes to be fulfilled and return for darshan once the wish is granted.

According to local resident Pandit Govind Narayan Tiwari, Ravan is worshipped in the village as a deity. Many family functions, including weddings, also begin with an offering to Ravan Baba.

In the Ramayana, Ravan is generally portrayed as the villain, and the burning of his effigy on Dussehra is seen as symbolising the victory of good over evil. But in Ravan village in Vidisha, Ravan is regarded as a protector and village deity. Dussehra here therefore becomes a festival not of Ravan Dahan but of worship, devotion and community unity.