Ravana was born to sage Vishrava and Rakshasi Kaikasi. Vishrava was the son of Pulastya (one of Brahma's mind-born sons) and known for his wisdom, austerity, and knowledge of the Vedas, whereas Kaikasi was daughter of a powerful Rakshasa Sumali.
Ravana was a great scholar and an expert in the Vedas. According to the Ramayana, Ravana was killed by Lord Rama on the tenth day of Krishna Paksha of Ashwin month. But do you know that there are some claims about Ravana's dead body which are very surprising. Here are some untold secrets about Ravana’s dead body:
Many believe Ravana will return to life one day: As per legends, Lord Rama handed over the body of Ravana to Vibhishan for the last rites. Many stories say that after Ravana’s death, Vibhishan was eager to ascend the throne and in a rush to do so, he ignored Ravana’s body and left it behind. The people of Nagakul came and took Ravana’s body to a cave located in the dense forests of Sri Lanka.
The people of Nagkul believed that Ravana’s death was temporary and he would soon reincarnate. But it never transpired. After that, they mummified Ravana's corpse to preserve it for a long time. Many Sri Lankans believe that Ravana will return to life one day.
According to local legends, Ravana's remains are preserved in a coffin in a cave in the forest of Ragla at an altitude of 8,000 feet. The coffin has a unique coating on it, which has preserved it over a long period.
Several researches were conducted by Sri Lanka's International Ramayana Research Center. The researchers have identified 50 places associated with war including a cave, where Ravana used to meditate Lord Shiva and it is believed that his mortal remains are still there in a mummified form, guarded by the Nagakul people.
