1. Rama wanted to worship Shiva at Rameshwaram before building the bridge.
2. He invited the maha brahmana Ravana to be the priest.
3. Ravana came and told Rama he needed his wife alongside to do the pooja.
4. Rama offered to have a sand image of Sita.
5. Ravana said he will bring Sita herself and brought her over in Pushpaka vimana.
6. Rama and Sita worshipped Shiva with Ravana acting as the priest.
7. When Rama bowed down to Ravana, he blessed him. "Vijayi Bhava."
8. Sita was taken back to Ashoka Vana, and the rest is history.
I do not buy this story.
Ravana was a despicable character and there is no way Rama would have requested him to be the priest. In fact Shiva has never said Ravana is his great devotee anywhere. He in fact congratulated Rama after killing Ravana, according to Valmiki.
Somebody says it is in Adhyatma Ramayana. I have taken the trouble to source a translation of it as below. No such story there.
Postscript: I have scanned Adhyatma Ramayana portion from Gita Press in Kannada below. It says exactly the same as the English one.
