Before, arguing whether he is a Hero or Villain, lets clear up one fact.
Ravana was Father - in - Law of Rama .
Sita was in fact an Asura Princess born to Ravana and Mandodari.
But Ravana's associates saw her as a bad luck to Ravana as soon as she was born, hence decide to take her to Deva's lands and kill her. But due to fate she came in hands of Janaka, a Deva King. And he saw her as a gift from Earth.
Once Ravana came to know about this, from then he was all ears about the happenings to Sita.
In fact, he hated the custom of Swayamvara for he felt bad that his daughter is being seen by many courters like a commodity. Here we can understand his fervor to break this meaningless, subservient custom.
When Sita saw Prince of Ayodhya, Rama, he did see the love in her eyes.
Actually Ravana was present in the Swayamvara to witness the marriage of his daughter. In fact he was there to stop the marriage and take her back home to get her married to a wealthy prince for he felt Deva Lands were poor and impoverished with least respect for women.
But he backed off seeing the love for Rama that Sita had.
When Rama lost his claim for land, Ravana became furious for he can't imagine his daughter living in Jungle like a gatherers wife.
He in fact thought that, lets bring Sita to Lanka and make her stay in Palace and once Rama comes in search for her, make him a prince for a dominion.
So the reason for he abducting Sita, was to take her as a Daughter to his home and it was out of Love and Affection he had for her.
So how would that make him a Bad person.
By the way , Rama wasn't too good by himself.
1. He killed Bali, the Vanara King against Kshatriya Dharma
2. He questioned the integrity of his own wife and made her self immolate just for the sake of some irrelevant questions raised.
In comparison to that
1. Ravana was just a dotting father who cant see his daughter suffer because of her husband's pointless Dharma.
2. When Ravana married Mandodari, he never ever touched her without her permission. So he had high ideals regarding treating women equally.
If this is the case, Is Ravana really a Villain , if not a Hero ?
Ravana was Father - in - Law of Rama .
Sita was in fact an Asura Princess born to Ravana and Mandodari.
But Ravana's associates saw her as a bad luck to Ravana as soon as she was born, hence decide to take her to Deva's lands and kill her. But due to fate she came in hands of Janaka, a Deva King. And he saw her as a gift from Earth.
Once Ravana came to know about this, from then he was all ears about the happenings to Sita.
In fact, he hated the custom of Swayamvara for he felt bad that his daughter is being seen by many courters like a commodity. Here we can understand his fervor to break this meaningless, subservient custom.
When Sita saw Prince of Ayodhya, Rama, he did see the love in her eyes.
Actually Ravana was present in the Swayamvara to witness the marriage of his daughter. In fact he was there to stop the marriage and take her back home to get her married to a wealthy prince for he felt Deva Lands were poor and impoverished with least respect for women.
But he backed off seeing the love for Rama that Sita had.
When Rama lost his claim for land, Ravana became furious for he can't imagine his daughter living in Jungle like a gatherers wife.
He in fact thought that, lets bring Sita to Lanka and make her stay in Palace and once Rama comes in search for her, make him a prince for a dominion.
So the reason for he abducting Sita, was to take her as a Daughter to his home and it was out of Love and Affection he had for her.
So how would that make him a Bad person.
By the way , Rama wasn't too good by himself.
1. He killed Bali, the Vanara King against Kshatriya Dharma
2. He questioned the integrity of his own wife and made her self immolate just for the sake of some irrelevant questions raised.
In comparison to that
1. Ravana was just a dotting father who cant see his daughter suffer because of her husband's pointless Dharma.
2. When Ravana married Mandodari, he never ever touched her without her permission. So he had high ideals regarding treating women equally.
If this is the case, Is Ravana really a Villain , if not a Hero ?
