Raavan's Legacy in Mandore: Rajasthan's Revered Son-in-Law

OutlookIndia

In the historic town of Mandore, Rajasthan, Raavan is revered not as a villain, but as a son-in-law. Legend has it that Raavan married Mandodari, the town’s native daughter, and the Dave Brahmin community honors his legacy to this day. A temple dedicated to Raavan stands as a reminder of the town’s unique connection to the demon king, blending mythology, history, and cultural reverence.  Reporter: Mahima Choudhary Camera: Animikh Chakrabarty Editor: Ehraz  Follow us: Website: https://www.outlookindia.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Outlookindia Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/outlookindia/ X: https://twitter.com/Outlookindia Whatsapp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaNrF3v0AgWLA6OnJH0R Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@OutlookMagazine Dailymotion: https://www.dailymotion.com/outlookindia  #Raavan #Mandore #Rajasthan #Temple

Transcript

00:00As most of North India erupts in the glow of firecrackers and Ravan effigies burn in

00:19celebration of Dashara, a quiet, almost mystical calm settles over Mandor.

00:27This ancient town in Rajasthan holds secrets and stories that go far beyond the flames

00:33of the festival.

00:35Once the capital of the Marwar region, Mandor is now a shadow of its former self, a suburb

00:42of Jodhpur.

00:43Yet, this humble town is an intriguing intersection of history, mythology and culture.

00:50Here, Ravan, the demon king of Lanka, isn't just a figure from ancient texts.

00:56He is revered as the son-in-law of Mandor.

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02:25Ravan and Mandodari's union left a deep imprint on this region.

02:29And there are physical reminders of this connection too.

02:32Tucked behind a grand Shiva temple is a small, modest shrine dedicated to Ravan.

02:38It's here, among the greenery, where the Dave Brahmins revere Ravan,

02:43not as the villain of the Ramayana, but as an ancestor, a learned scholar,

02:48master of the Vedas, astrology and music.

02:52Ravan, along with all the musical arts,

02:58he knew 18 ragas.

03:01He knew the Malayalam raga very well.

03:06So, he would tie his brahmins, hindus, to the clouds or the rain,

03:14and he would open it with the Malayalam raga.

03:17Apart from this, he would tie the clouds together with his arrows,

03:24and he would make it rain.

03:30And even after that, he would send his son, Meghnath, to Shivaji,

03:35and he taught him so many mantras,

03:38that no one has ever been able to learn as much as he did.

03:41Brahma himself would come to Lanka and study the Vedas.

03:49And after that, Ravan would go to Kailash and meet Parvati.

04:07No one would stop him.

04:09An ordinary human being would also have a defect,

04:13and he would also have knowledge.

04:15So, he should consider both of them while meditating.

04:19He has a defect. The whole universe considers him to have a defect.

04:23But I believe that everyone has a defect.

04:26And even God knew that he had a defect.

04:29But his brother, Lakshman, when Ravan was about to die,

04:34he was told to go and get knowledge from him.

04:37There is no one like him.

04:40So, if an ordinary human being can become a God and send his brother,

04:46then there is no one like him.

04:50History, myth and landscape merge in places like this,

04:54Chandvari, where it is believed that Ravan and Mandodari exchanged vows.

05:00Steep steps lead to a clearing marked by ancient rock engravings.

05:05It's one of those many locations in Mandod where locals claim that the legends were born.

05:10Beyond the town, the desert stretches on where the rocky terrain feels timeless.

05:16Local lore suggests that this once submerged land was transformed by Ram's Brahmastra,

05:23linking this region directly to the Ramayana.

05:26It's a place where the past echoes through the hills and sands,

05:30reminding us of a time when gods and demons supposedly walked the earth.

05:35But what makes Mandodari truly special isn't the insistence on these myths being real.

05:41In a world quick to tie science and history together,

05:44Mandodar simply lets its legends be.

05:47It doesn't need to validate them.

05:49Instead, it preserves them as folklores,

05:52passed down through centuries, untouched by the urgency of modern explanations.

05:57Mandodar is a place where history and mythology sit side by side,

06:02where Ravan's legacy isn't just remembered but lived.

06:06Underneath the quiet streets and the crumbling ruins,

06:09the stories of the past still pulse through the air,

06:12waiting to be discovered, waiting to be believed.

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