In Bisrakh Village, Residents Worship Ravan Instead of Burning Effigies During Dussehra

In Bisrakh, Noida, locals honour Ravan on Dussehra, viewing him as a symbol of wisdom and devotion. They believe the village is his birthplace and reject the tradition of burning effigies.

In the village of Bisrakh, located in Noida, Dussehra is celebrated uniquely. While most of India marks the festival by burning effigies of Ravan, symbolising the victory of good over evil, Bisrakh residents honour Ravan. They believe their village is his birthplace and revere him for his wisdom and devotion to Lord Shiva.

The name Bisrakh is said to originate from Rishi Vishrava, also known as Vishravas, who was Ravan's father. According to temple mahant Ram Das Maharaj, Ravan and his siblings Kumbhkaran, Vibhishan, and Surpanakha were born here. Their father, Rishi Vishrava, was the son of Rishi Pulastya.

Ravan's Devotion and Transformation

Ravan was initially born with one head. However, during intense penance to Lord Shiva, he offered his head ten times at the temple's Shivling. Pleased with his devotion, Shiva granted him the form of Dashanan. The temple is also linked to Rishi Pulastya's ashram and has connections to Lord Brahma.

Unlike other regions, Bisrakh does not engage in Ramleela or effigy burning. Instead, residents prepare festive dishes like kheer and puri and worship weapons. "We mourn Ravan's death and thus do not burn his effigy," explained Mahant Ram Das.

The Ravan Temple

The Ravan temple is about 15 minutes from Bisrakh Kotwali but is challenging to reach due to poor roads and lack of signage. The temple walls feature carvings of Ardhanarishwar and depict Ravan offering his head to Lord Shiva. Inside, a swayambhu Shivling is surrounded by idols of Lord Ganesh, Maa Gauri, Lord Kartik, and Laxmi Narayan.

Nearby are idols of Ram Darbar, Shiv Parivar, Radha-Krishna, and Ravan himself. "We installed Ravan's idol this Shravan month with full religious rituals," said Mahant Ram Das. He noted that while visitors come year-round, footfall peaks during Shravan and Mahashivratri.

Legends and Local Beliefs

Locals share tales of an underground tunnel once linking the temple to Dudeshwar Mahadev in Ghaziabad. "Now it looks like a locked room with stairs," said a villager, adding that elders claim Ravan used it for travel.

Stories of mishaps discourage effigy burning. "Once someone participated in Ramleela here and fell ill," recounted a resident. Another incident involved an effigy being burnt, leading to mental imbalance for the person involved. Since then, no one attempts it.

Community Views on Dussehra

Rajneesh, a local resident, stated that on Dussehra they worship Ravan but never burn him. "He was our son and a knowledgeable devotee of Lord Shiva," he added. Visitors often share similar sentiments after visiting Bisrakh.

Anil Chetiwal visited with his family and said, "I had doubts about Ravan's birthplace but was convinced after meeting priests and locals." Another devotee, Prashant Gunjan, recalled being corrected when asking for directions to the temple: "They told me to say 'Ravan Maharaj' with respect."

Accessibility Challenges

Despite its significance, reaching the temple remains difficult due to poor road conditions. Visitors face challenges finding it without clear signage. During monsoons, waterlogging exacerbates these issues. A villager urged authorities to improve infrastructure for better accessibility.

With inputs from PTI