The Lankesh Bhakt Mandal, a Mathura-based group, reiterated its longstanding demand to halt the traditional burning of Ravan effigies during Dussehra, arguing that it disrespects the demon king revered as a scholar and ardent devotee of Lord Shiva. On Thursday, the group marked its protest by performing an elaborate "aarti" for Ravan’s idol along the Yamuna riverbank, chanting mantras from dawn to dusk to invoke wisdom and challenge the practice they deem contrary to Sanatan Dharma.

Omvir Saraswat, president of the mandal, emphasized Ravan’s multifaceted legacy, noting, “Lankapati Ravan was a devout follower of Lord Shiva, a teacher of Lord Ram, a profound scholar, a seer of all three times, and the composer of the Shiva Tandav Stotra.” He argued that repeatedly burning his effigy insults Hindu values, equating it to grave sins like killing cows or Brahmins, while also causing environmental pollution and fire-related accidents. The group, active for over 25 years and comprising mostly young Brahmins of the Saraswat gotra and Shiva devotees, claims Ravan himself was a Saraswat Brahmin, reinforcing their reverence.

Instead of effigy burnings, which symbolize Lord Rama’s triumph over Ravan in the Ramayana, the mandal proposes staging theatrical reenactments of their battle to educate future generations. “According to Hindu belief, a person is cremated only once, not repeatedly,” Saraswat stated, urging government intervention to curb the practice as antithetical to Sanatan Dharma’s spirit. The call comes amid Mathura’s vibrant Dussehra celebrations, where effigies—often 60-70 feet tall—are burned with eco-friendly fireworks, highlighting a cultural clash between tradition and reinterpretation.

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This stance has sparked debate in Uttar Pradesh, a hub of Ramayana-related heritage, with mainstream organizers defending effigy burning as a symbolic victory of good over evil. The mandal’s protest, rooted in a minority theological perspective, underscores tensions between evolving Hindu practices and environmental concerns, with their Yamuna-side rituals drawing attention to Ravan’s scholarly and spiritual dimensions rarely highlighted in popular narratives.

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