We grew up listening to the stories of good and evil and how the light defeats the dark. In Indian mythology, the epic tale of Ramayana is one of the biggest examples of it. However, in Ramayana, there’s more to the character of Ravana (The King of Lanka who abducted Goddess Sita, Lord Ram’s wife) than what meets the eyes. Many speak highly of his wisdom, and his devotion to Lord Shiva.Actor Ashutosh Rana who recently played the character of Ravana in his latest play in Delhi, also believes that people are not very aware of the other side of the story.
The ‘Sangharsh’ fame actor mentioned that Ravana has only been seen in a negative light, but he had many layers. He was not just a villain, he was a scholar, a devoted disciple of Lord Shiva, and an ascetic. The actor believes that Ravana’s negativity was the result of his ego and lust. At the same time, he was also always on a quest for knowledge and truth.
Further, during his interaction with Aaj Tak, Rana said that Ravana was a great man “whose desire was to be liberated beyond enlightenment and moksha.”
“Ravana’s end was not just death, but he was in search of enlightenment and liberation. His end was the end of his ego, and it was the conclusion of his spiritual journey. From this point of view, Ravana is a perfect paradox, where he despite being a symbol of evil ultimately leads to enlightenment and liberation,” he added.
He also said that we all have Ram and Ravan within us. If we practice the teachings of Lord Ram in our lives, then only the negative Ravana in us will die, and an enlightened Ravana will be born.
With Dusshera around the corner, these anecdotes of Ashutosh Rana offer a fresh perspective on the epic saga.
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