Shiva Bhakt Ravana: The First Kanwariya? A Sawan Tale You Didn’t Know

Though seen as a villain, Ravana was a devout Shiva bhakt. Legends say he may have been the first Kanwariya, bringing Ganga water to perform abhishek for Lord Shiva during Sawan. This act, linked to Samudra Manthan, echoes today in the Kanwar Yatra—now a massive pilgrimage, though once a modest journey before rising in prominence post-1980s.