Sri Lankans have a different perception of Ravana. They don’t worship him as God, but they regard him as a Great King
They don’t have festivals for him or build temples in his name. But they do look at him as a great king who met a tragic end.
The reasons for them why he was a great King are as follows:
1. He was the king with talent, knowledge, and strength for them. who resisted invaders and expanded his kingdom -Ravana's empire spread over Balidweepa (today's Bali), Malayadweep (Malaysia), Angadweepa, Varahdweepa, Shankhadweepa, Yavadweepa, Andhralaya, and Kushadweepa.
2. For them he was blessed with knowledge, Ravana was a great poet. He was well versed in Vedas and is attributed to have written the Shiva Tandava Stotram praising Lord Shiva. Ravana mastered all four Vedas and was a chanter of Sama Veda.
3. For them, the Ravana civilization was highly advanced. It was a very prosperous culture and civilization that developed centered (in Sri) Lanka. Shri Lanka never prospered as it did under the rule of Ravana.
4. For them, Ravana was not only a great warrior but also a scholar of many subjects and sciences. He wrote a treatise on astrology called Ravana Samhita. He also possessed a thorough knowledge of Ayurveda.
5. For them, Ravana lived in Sigiriya, now a Unesco heritage site about 170 km from Colombo. He was a member of "a highly advanced and intelligent" Yaksha tribe.
6. For them he was the king whose devotion and 1000 yrs of penance to Lord Shiva won him powerful weapons. Ravana obtained Chandrahas (moon sword) from Lord Shiva. He wanted to show Lord Shiva his devotion and powers and thus he lifted Mount Kailash (the abode of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati) but Lord Shiva placed it back just by pressing his toe-crushing Ravana’s fingers, seeing Lord Shiva’s power and might Ravana sings Shiva Tandava Stotram.
7. Ravana was the son of Visrava, a famous Rishi who was the son of Prajapati Pulastya, one of Brahma’s ten mind-born sons. He was a Brahmarakshas. His father Visrava was a Brahman whereas his mother was Kaikesi, a rakshasa thus attaining the status of Brahmarakshas.
8. Ravana was a great Stateman who had great knowledge about administration and was knowledgeable which is why when he was shot by Lord Ram, Lord Ram asked Laxman to go to Ravana and request him to share his knowledge with Laxman.
However, in spite of all the above qualities, we should not forget that Ravana was on the path of Adharma and he had chosen the path himself. He was selfish, arrogant, aggressive, highly egoistic, greedy, full of lust, had vices, and was merciless which led to the destruction of his kingdom and his death.
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