Ravana is the demon king who abducts Sita in the Ramayana.
Ravana rules Lanka and is traditionally described as a powerful scholar, musician, ruler, and devotee of Shiva. In the central Ramayana narrative, he carries Sita away after arranging a deception that separates her from Rama and Lakshmana. Rama then forms alliances with forest-dwelling allies and attacks Lanka to rescue her.
Ravana’s abduction of Sita is the event that drives the epic’s main conflict, but portrayals of him are not identical everywhere. Many traditions emphasize his arrogance and abuse of power, while also acknowledging his learning, strength, and devotion. Some regional retellings give him a more complex or sympathetic characterization.
Ravana is often depicted with ten heads. He should not be confused with Kamsa, the tyrant associated with Krishna, or Mahishasura, the buffalo demon defeated by Durga.