In Payal, Ravana’s worshipped as ‘protector’

While Dasehra celebrations across the country culminate in the burning of effigies of Ravana, Meghnad and Kumbhkarana, a small town in Punjab’s Payal area follows a strikingly different tradition. Here, Ravana is not consigned to flames but worshipped as a protector, particularly by women and young girls who believe the 10-headed king can shield them