Ravana was born in India in village called
Bisrakh near the Hindan River that time known as the Hir River. Ravana was born to a great sage
Vishrava (or Vesamuni), and his wife, the
daitya princess
Kaikesi. He was born in the Devagana
gotra, 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. Kaikesi's father,
Sumali (or Sumalaya), king of the Daityas, wished her to marry the most powerful being in the mortal world, so as to produce an exceptional heir. He rejected the kings of the world, as they were less powerful than him. Kaikesi searched among the sages and finally chose Vishrava, the father of
Kubera. Ravana was thus partly Brahmin and partly Daitya. Ravana later conquered Sri Lanka from his half brother Kubera and became the King of Lanka.
