Ravana Created Lanka for Lord Shiva

Ravana was born to a great sage Vishrava and his wife, the Daitya princess Kaikesi. He was born in the Devagana, as his grandfather, the sage Pulastya, was one of the ten Prajapatis or mind-born sons of Brahma and one of the Saptarishi (Seven Great Sages Rishi) in the first Manvantara. He was a great scholar (Pandit) and an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva.

He is also known as Dasa-Naan or Dasa-Sheesha, a person with ten heads. There was no one who can even equate of his 1/10 knowledge. His ten heads symbolize that he had a profound knowledge of 4 Vedas and 6 Upanishads. He was 10 times more scholarly over his subjects than the best scholar of his time.

Lord Shiva is a hermit. Making home and attached to the worldly possession is a work of the householders, not of the hermits. However, Parvati, Lord Shiva`s consort, requested him to construct a home for them on the Kailash Mountain, the abode of Lord Shiva. As per his nature, Lord Shiva was reluctant to do that.

Ravana, a great devotee of Lord Shiva, approached Kailash Mountain and asked the consent of Lord Shiva to build a golden castle for him and His family. Reluctantly, he gave his consent for that to please his consort, Parvati.

Kuber is Ravana`s half brother. Kuber is the king of Yaksha, and the guardian and hoarder of the wealth of the Indra`s kingdom, Amravati. Ravana approached Kuber for the gold to construct a golden castle for Lord Shiva, and Kuber donated enough gold to Ravana for this purpose. Ravana hired Vishwakarma, the celestial architect, to construct a golden castle. Vishwakarma constructed an exquisite and unparalleled golden castle.

That splendid castle named Lanka was donated by Ravan to Lord Shiva and his family. As per tradition, before entering into the new house, there should be “Gruha Puja”, the house warming ceremony. Ravana was invited for performing that Puja as he was the most eligible Pandit available to do this noble work.

He performed the Puja. Now it was the time to give “Dakshina” to Ravana. It was startling to everyone – Ravana could not resist, and  hence, in Dakshina, Ravana asked the golden castle, Lanka, which was made for Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva donated Lanka back to Ravana as Dakshina. Along with golden Lanka, Ravana moved to the south, the abode of Rakshas.

In the Ramayana, in the quest of Sita, Hanuman went Lanka. Ravana disrespected Hanuman. Hanuman incinerated the golden Lanka into ashes. Hanuman is the Rudra incarnation of Lord Shiva. Ravana had become so inebriated in power and wealth that he could not recognize Hanuman, a form of Lord Shiva. And secondly, he had fiddled out the golden Lanka from Lord Shiva and His family. Whenever lord Shiva is disturbed or disrespected in any way, He opens His third eye and burns those into ashes. The same thing was done by Hanuman in the form of Lord Shiva.