In Hindu mythology

Hindu mythology

Hindu religious literature is the large body of traditional narratives related to Hinduism, notably as contained in Sanskrit literature, such as the Sanskrit epics and the Puranas. As such, it is a subset of Nepali and Indian culture...

, a Rakshas (Sanskrit for "to be guarded against or warded off") is a kind of evil demon.

Ramayana

According to the Ramayana, the Raksha people (also known as Raksasas) were the mythical inhabitants of Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...

 who were said to have lived among the Naga

Naga

Naga or NAGA may refer to:* Nāga, a group of serpent deities in Hindu and Buddhist mythology.-People:* Nayan / Nayar/Nair people of Kerala Society* Naga people, a diverse ethnic identity in Northeast India...

, Yakkha

Yakkha

Yakkha is an indigenous ethnic group of Nepal . It is one of the progenies of Nepal's prehistoric Kirat dynasty of around 100 BC.-Etymology:...

, and Deva

Deva (Hinduism)

' is the Sanskrit word for god or deity, its related feminine term is devi. In modern Hinduism, it can be loosely interpreted as any benevolent supernatural beings. The devs in Hinduism, also called Suras, are often juxtaposed to the Asuras, their half brothers. Devs are also the maintainers of...

, and governed Sri Lanka in 2370 BCE. They were led by Sumali

Sumali

Sumali is the grandfather of Ravana, the principal antagonist of the Ramayana.He, his elder brother Malyavan and younger brother Mali were the sons of the daitya Sukesh....

 and Sukesha of the Raksha, who were ousted by the Deva with the help of Lord Vishnu, and then subsequently ruled by King Ravana

Ravana

' is the primary antagonist character of the Hindu legend, the Ramayana; who is the great king of Lanka. In the classic text, he is mainly depicted negatively, kidnapping Rama's wife Sita, to claim vengeance on Rama and his brother Lakshmana for having cut off the nose of his sister...

.

The Raksha vanish from history after their mention in the Ramayana, except in Sri Lankan folk stories. European scholars consider the story of Ravana and the Raksha to have been made in historic times, due to the knowledge of Sri Lankan locations mentioned in the stories, and therefore the story is considered not to be based on fact. The Mahavansa also makes no mention of a great Raskha civilization and there is no archaeological evidence suggesting a civilization ruled by King Ravana existed.

According to the Ramayana, the Raksha invaded Sri Lanka and began to harass the Deva. Sumali and Sukesha of the Raksha ruled Sri Lanka before being ousted by the Deva with Lord Vishnu's help. Sunali's grandson Ravana, then went to Sri Lanka, reclaimed his army and conquered Sri Lanka The Ramayana says the Raksha had cities, forts, palaces, parks, dancing halls, stables, and chariot houses. Ravana describes forced marriage as the law of his tribe. So the Raksha may have practised forced marriages. The Raksha were likely to have cremated dead bodies, rather than bury them.

Kipling

In Rudyard Kipling

Rudyard Kipling

Joseph Rudyard Kipling was an English poet, short-story writer, and novelist chiefly remembered for his celebration of British imperialism, tales and poems of British soldiers in India, and his tales for children. Kipling received the 1907 Nobel Prize for Literature...

's Jungle Book

The Jungle Book

The Jungle Book is a collection of stories by British Nobel laureate Rudyard Kipling. The stories were first published in magazines in 1893–4. The original publications contain illustrations, some by Rudyard's father, John Lockwood Kipling. Kipling was born in India and spent the first six...

stories Raksha the Demon

Raksha (Jungle Books)

Raksha the Demon is a fictional character featured in Rudyard Kipling's Mowgli stories, collected in The Jungle Book and The Second Jungle Book...

is the name of the Mother Wolf who adopts the "man-cub" Mowgli

Mowgli

Mowgli is a fictional character from India who originally appeared in Rudyard Kipling's short story "In the Rukh" and then went on to become the most prominent and memorable character in his fantasies, The Jungle Book and The Second Jungle Book , which also featured stories about other...

.

See also

• Rakshasa
  Rakshasa
  A Rakshasa or alternatively rakshas, is a race of mythological humanoid beings or unrighteous spirit in Hindu and Buddhist religion...
  
  
• Hindu mythology
  Hindu mythology
  Hindu religious literature is the large body of traditional narratives related to Hinduism, notably as contained in Sanskrit literature, such as the Sanskrit epics and the Puranas. As such, it is a subset of Nepali and Indian culture...
  
  
• List of Hinduism-related articles
• Raksha Bandhan: Raksha is the basic spirit with which the festival Rakshabandhan is celebrated. In this festival, a sister ties a string, known as Rakhi, around the wrist of her brother, asking him to protect her. The brother reciprocates by gifting his sister a present and renewing his vow to protect her.