Praise Lanka's great burnt-out intellect

Today on Vijay Dashami, as effigies of Ravan de Lanka erupt in flames across the country, do pause for a bit. Not to - heavens forbid! - douse the Ramlila bonfire, but to acknowledge the man being sent up in flames: Lord Ravan - 10 heads, 20 regrets, and one severely underappreciated resume. Scholar of the Vedas, maestro of the veena, and a Shiva devotee so devout he once offered his own head (HR headhunters would call that 'overcommitment'). Yet, every year, he's reduced to a cardboard villain with LED eyes and a pyrotechnic maut.

Sure, he kidnapped Sita - for tactical leverage after his sister Surpanakha's Gen Z advances were met by asymmetrical force with a violent nose job from a person who supposedly was respectful towards women (read: sis-in-law). But let's not forget that Dashanan offered her room service, poetry and zero physical harm - a rare feat in mythological hostage management. Meanwhile, his brother Vibhishan went Mir Jafar, his kingdom crumbled, and his legacy was outsourced to fireworks. So, this Ramlila, as you cheer the blaze and munch on the finest papri, spare a thought for the original misunderstood anti-hero. He wasn't just a villain, he was also a cautionary tale about ambition, ego, and the dangers of being too smart for your own good. After all, in the great epic of life, even the most brilliant minds can get roasted.