India is known as the land of temples. There are more than 2 million temples according to the 2001 census.
This is because constructing temples is our way of honoring and celebrating the people we respect and admire. Idolising and worshipping is our way to ensure that the stories and deeds of these figures extend across centuries and generations.
Lord Krishna, the most important figure in the epic ‘Mahabharata’ has hundreds of temples dedicated to him.
The advice and knowledge that lord Krishna imparts to Arjun in the eighteen chapters of ‘Bhagavad Gita’ is recited frequently in the temples’ walls as the text guides one towards ‘Dharma‘, ‘Moksha‘, etc.
Mythological Villains Have Devotees Too
However, there are several figures in Hindu mythology who are generally considered nefarious, and who are believed to have walked on the opposite path of ‘Dharma’, but are still worshipped in various parts of India as deities.
A popular example is Ravana. While most people mark the occasion of Dussehra as the victory of good over evil, some people mourn his death and offer prayers during Navratri as they respect him for his unparalleled knowledge and skills. People commend him for his devotion to Lord Shiva.
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There are some other mythological villains especially from ‘Mahabharata’ who are revered by people who mostly belong to the lower castes.
Most of them claim that their tribes or communities have a historic connection to these characters. Some aspects of the personality of these villains and their tragic story touched these people who reckon that an injustice has been done to them.
Here are some of the mythological villains who are worshipped as people believe that only their wickedness is highlighted but their goodness is disregarded by the masses.
Do you agree with these devotees who worship the villains? Do you think they have qualities to be admired?
Image Credits: Google Images
Sources: Knowledge of India, History Under Your Feet, Tripoto.com
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