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| Courtsey: Dailymirror |
And you will burn me again today. Alas! I still don't understand why. What was my fault? Why is he 'Shri' Ram and I am 'Only' Ravan
People call me ten headed do you even know why? My ten heads represented various aspects logic, knowledge, arts, skills and senses. I did not keep my knowledge to me, rather distributed and shared it with epics, manuscripts and book. These epics do not brag about me like your so called God Rama, rather discuss the bits of knowledge on linguistics, music, economy, yoga, astrology and Ayurveda (Ravanaproktabalacikitsasutra). Did you ever hear about any book written by Rama or his father or at least dictated by them? The only books about them you perhaps know is the Ramayana and Ramcharitamanas. These are typical books that unilaterally praises a king and his followers and nothing else.
Even your God figure tried learning the administration skills from me when I was near death awarded by him. And to your surprise, I did not refrain sharing my knowledge with him even in that case. You know the Ayodhya was a peaceful kingdom, but tell me if Lanka in those times was not peaceful. It was far more prosperous than Ayodhya. If you know Ayodhya as a great kingdom it was during Rama's time, not Dashrath's, and Rama became the king only after I shared my knowledge with him. And if it is about peace, what are you doing yourself, killing for religion and regions ? You have developed the same virtues within you for you which you burn me. And the irony is that I never supported those virtues.
If it is about being anti-god. I don't think I even need to prove I was more devoted to God. I built temples across our country. Even Shiva recognized my devotion towards him. I had great intellectuals and saints as my ministers, tell me the names of a minister of that caliber in Rama's Kingdom. It was full of mere yes mongers and blind supporters. I respected women more than your favorite Rama. He exiled Sita just based on some rumors. I did not disrespect or molest her even when she was my hostage. And if you think you burn me because I disrespected women, I think today most of you should self-immolate with the conditions in your country today.
I am not interested in being pictured as God, I only want you to develop a sense of good and bad. Burning me every year just burns the good things I shared as with every burning effigy you make me the villain that I was not, ignoring and forgetting the good things I brought to you when you portray me as a villain.
People say in the community of Rakshasha (Devil), brother kills brother. My beloved brother Kumbhakaran laid his life for me when I needed him. I spared Vibhishina even after knowing he was betraying me. I should have killed him according to the rules politics, law and administration. How could I? He was my brother. And you still say I was a Rakshasha. I wish I was the devil you think I was. The story could have been different.
