Kanpur Temple Worships Ravan, Opens Its Doors Only on Dussehra

Located in Kanpur’s Shivala area, this is described as a unique temple in India where Ravan is not burned on Dussehra, but worshipped. The temple is known as the Dashanan Temple.

The temple is located inside the Kailash Temple complex in Kanpur’s Shivala area, near Phool Mandi. It is dedicated to Ravan, who is worshipped here for his knowledge, scholarship and devotion to Lord Shiva.

The temple houses a 5-feet-tall statue of Ravan. He is regarded here as a guardian of strength. While Ravan effigies are burned across the country on Dussehra, devotees at this temple worship him for his learning and his devotion to Shiva.

One of the most distinctive features of the temple is that its doors open only once a year, on Vijayadashami. They remain closed for the other 364 days. According to the belief associated with the temple, people who pray here and make a wish receive strength and knowledge.

There are two views about when the temple was built. However, the main belief is that Maharaj Guru Prasad Shukla of Unnao had the Kailash Temple constructed in 1868, and that the Dashanan Temple was established around 1890. This means the temple is believed to be around 135-158 years old.

Maharaj Guru Prasad Shukla was a devotee of Lord Shiva. It is believed that he installed Ravan here because Ravan was a great scholar and a devoted follower of Shiva.

The worship begins on Dussehra. The temple doors are opened at around 9 am. First, the priest cleans the statue of Ravan and performs a milk bath and an abhishek. The idol is then given an elaborate adornment.

After this, the priest performs the पूजा and aarti with Vedic mantras. Devotees light lamps using mustard oil and raise the chant, “Lankapati Naresh Ravan ki Jai.”

The doors remain open through the day and are closed again in the evening along with the burning of Ravan effigies. They are then shut for one year.

Around 15 to 20 thousand devotees come to the temple for darshan on this day. For them, the Dashanan Temple is a place where Ravan is remembered not only as a figure associated with evil, but also for his scholarship, strength and devotion to Lord Shiva.