They cut Ravana's nose to celebrate women power at MP's Ratlam Ratlam (Madhya Pradesh) : In a unique festival, while all others burn effigies of demon king Ravana, these devotees cut off the nose of the 10-headed monster villain of the Ramayana. This annual event is held at Chiklana village in Madhya Pradesh in the presence of thousands of devotees who gather from the entire area and celebrate the moment when Ravana's nose is cut.
Through this, they tell the world that those who do not respect women's power will perish. Strangely, the festival is similar to the anecdote in the epic in which Ram's brother Lakshmana cut off the nose of Ravana's sister Surpanakha which eventually led to the abduction of Sita and the consequential epic war.
We all witness the effigies of Lankadhipati Dashanan burning all over the country during Sharadiya Navratri. But even in Chaitra's Navratri, the unique tradition is being followed at Ratlam in Madhya Pradesh. They do not burn any effigy of Lankadhipati but what they have been doing for decades is cutting off the demon king's nose.
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There is a deep significance and a hidden secret to this tradition. The locals gather in large numbers and take on the roles of the armies of Ram and Ravana coming face to face with one another. Then they exchange arrows of sarcasm. One army hails the Lord of Lanka and the other extols the virtues of Lord Shri Ram.
A war of words goes on between both sides. Both shoot arrows at each other. Yes, even in Kalyug, this story from Satyug is enacted by hundreds of devotees every year in Chiklana village of Ratlam district. Here, on the occasion of Chaitra's Navratri, the armies of Shri Ram and Ravana meet face-to-face.
First, a procession of Lord Shri Ram is taken out in the entire village. After that, the armies of Ram and Ravana meet. After they have heated exchanges, then Rama's army attacks the followers of Ravana, after which Lankidhipati Ravana's nose is cut off with a spear. This tradition has been going on for more than 100 years.
Ravana abducted Mother Sita because of the insult of a woman, Dashanan is also humiliated by cutting off his nose. A large number of devotees from nearby villages also participate in the event, who enjoy listening to the sarcasm of Ram Dal and Ravana Dal. A fair is also held in the village for two days.
However, this tradition is giving a message that the one who insults women's power will also have to be humiliated in society.
