Dussehra is celebrated with zeal and enthusiasm all across Bharat. Marking the victory of Bhagwan Rama over Ravana, this festival signifies victory of good over evil.Vibhishan, the younger brother of Ravana, turned his back on Ravana and joined Rama’s side. His contribution in the triumph of Rama is remarkable. After Rama defeated Ravana, Rama crowned Prince Vibhishan as the King of Lanka before returning to Ayodhya. Remembering Vibhishan on the occasion of Dussehra would be relevant. Some of the temples of Vibhishan are as follows.
Kelaniya Buddhist temple in Sri Lanka
Kelaniya is the place which had been ruled by Vibhishan. The Kelani River is mentioned in the Ramayana by Valmiki as Vibhishan’s palace was said to be on the banks of this river. King Vibhishan is still considered as one of the 4 guardian deities of Sri Lanka. Murals of the crowning of king Vibhishan are also there giving proof to the epic story of Ramayana and its importance in the island nation. His shrine is placed in the Kelaniya Buddhist temple.
Vibhishan Temple at Dhanushkodi
This temple is located at the southernmost part of the Rameswaram, in Dhanuskodi region. This is the place where Rama met Vibhishan, who was a devotee of Rama. He requested his brother Ravana to respectfully return Sitaji to Bhagwan Rama and take His (Rama’s) shelter. Hearing this, Ravana got angry and kicked Vibhishan by foot.This picture is displayed inside the temple.There is another picture depicting Vibhishan taking shelter of Rama.
Dakara Bibhisaneswar Temple at Bhubaneswar
This temple is said to have been constructed by Vibhishan when he visited Bharat. Dakara Bhubaneswar (Bivisaneswara) Temple is located on Giani Zail Singh Road, about 200m east of the main entrance to Lingaraj Temple in old Bhubaneswar. The temple is a sub-shrine of Lingaraj, and has existed since at least the 11th century. The deity here is known to be a messenger god for Lingaraj.
