The return of Ravana

"He lit the night he brought with the fire that puts out the planets when time ends." - Ramesh Menon

True leaders are like statues, whether it rains or it shines, they never bend their necks to look backwards! They never run away from challenges. This was the greatest trait of Ravana: the celebrated, admired, able, and distinguished, king of the land called Lanka - if legend and lore is to be the basis of belief. In fact it is said that, during that mist-enveloped period in time, Lanka was an idyllic city, created by the celestial architect Vishwakarma.

Ravana was almost god like. Yet, conceit and boastful lips have made even the mightiest of them fall, and so did Ravana: ample proof that he who is bent on courting his death will not take kindly to sage counsel given by his well-wishers; that arrogance and crowing is the way of the doomed.

The Ramayana written by Sage Valmiki has had a profound impact on art and culture in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia.

However, in modern Sri Lanka, there has been a movement to revive Ravana as a cult figure, who represents Sinhala or Sri Lankan nationalism because he was among the first known in the island's myth turned history to have resisted a foreign invader. This, in spite of the fact that there is no recorded evidence to prove Sinhalese, as a race, existed that far back in time.

Some Ravana enthusiasts go to the extent of claiming that Ravana was a Buddhist, disregarding the fact that Buddha was not even born at that time and no religion called Buddhism existed at that time.

Outdone

The Tamils, not to be outdone, quote from Ancient Historical Traditions by Frederick Eden Pargiter (1852 -1927) of the Indian Civil Service, Vice President of the Asiatic Society, London to claim that Ravana is the Sanskritisation of Iraivan, the Tamil or Dravidian for lord or king. Such stupidity abounds only in a land of fools, and the folly of fools has no end or purpose; except perhaps, to keep those few intelligent beings left in this land of Serendipity and stupidity, entertained.

If legend and lore are based on an element of truth as often are, and give birth to history; it may be surmised that in all probability, Ravana existed and ruled over Lanka - howsoever twisted by time, the tale might be.

There is also no doubt that by all known accounts, he was a great and noble king who was trapped by his nature, and associated limitations.

But the return of the cult of Ravana to modern day Sri Lanka seems to only prove that the world is full of idiots; and the fact that one cannot make anything idiot proof because idiots are so ingenious.

On the contrary, I must admit, a world with no idiots would be a very lonely and boring place indeed.

Beauty may leave the moon, the Himalayas may become bereft of snow, the ocean may transgress its shores; but Ravana never violated a given promise.

That was another of his greatest asset; and if his return could teach that one lesson to modern day rulers, that alone would be worth his resurrection.

Those who always adhere to truth do not make false promises. Keeping one's promises is, surely, the mark of one's greatness.

However, in spite of having these exalted qualities, Ravana faltered and fell to a trait that endows human nature: fickle mindedness. To be compassionate, kind, merciful, and strong of heart, is to be human. However, the strong of heart do not become angry. He who is easily given to anger does not distinguish between, what is unspeakable and what can be spoken.

There is nothing, which an angry man cannot do; meaning he can commit any crime. Ravana lost his cool on seeing the insult heaped on his sister, and let his lust give vent to his anger. Fire cannot act on fire. The thundering of clouds, which have spent all their water, does not produce any rain.

The truly valiant, do not roar in vain; they show their valour in action - right and just action. Stealing the wealth of others, coveting another man's wife, and doubting the integrity and character of friends: these three lead to one's destruction. Ravana was, felled by all three.

Different

In life almost all things are, based on perspective. The perspective of Hitler surely must have been different to those of his opponents. Every person or a group holds a set of values, which may not be acceptable by others or of a different group. Ravana, the lord of Lanka, and his vanquisher Rama - the man from across the Palk Straits - had different set of principles that may be contradicting with each other as perceived by them.

A quote worth mentioning here would be "Truth has 3 sides: mine, yours, and the truth."

Ravana portrayed as a villain was, in spite of the fact that he possessed some of the finest qualities a man could possess. Ravana may not have been a demon as portrayed; but perhaps depicted as such. Good and bad are just two sides of the same coin.

Even Ram praised Ravana for his knowledge, braveness, and his devotion to Shiva. Yet, ultimately, his follies felled him.

We live in a society that teaches us certain things as learnt by elders. Most of us are brought up in a society where one does not question authority. The stories that we hear emphasise good by magnifying evil. This is true today, as it was then. A person shall be open to view and thoughts of others, but the side on which he stands will tend to influence the values he holds.

Dharma, as espoused by Buddhism and Hinduism, based on the principle of cosmic order, sustains a society. The people of a country are, held together and sustained by Dharma. The lesson in the story of Ravana: when Dharma is absent, a nation and its leaders falter and fall; howsoever great, other qualities are.

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