Wednesday, April 22, 2015

A-Z April Challenge 2015: S for SITA GOES BACK HOME

S for Sita
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Sita was heartbroken when Lakshman left her in the forest across River Ganges. Rama had decided to heed a washer-man’s words and send her away. Heavily pregnant and all alone, she takes refuge at Sage Valmiki’s Ashram. 

 Giving birth to twins, Sita accepts her fate and brings them up in the forest. Lava and Kusha learn the Vedas and Warfare from Sage Valmiki and become valiant even at a young age. That’s how they end up catching the Ashwamedha Yagna horse that Rama had sent across the country. Unaware of the impact of their actions, the young boys fight the huge army of Rama and defeat them effortlessly. Shatrughan, Bharat and then Lakshman were all defeated by Lava and Kusha. 

 Finally, Rama arrives on the scene. It is not long before Sage Valmiki arrives amidst them and introduces the twins to their father Rama. Rama is truly happy to meet his sons and turns to the Rishi to tell him that he’s more than willing to take his queen back home to the palace. 

 But what of Queen Sita?

 She stood in front of Rama, her stance straight, her eyes directly meeting his. She stared at her beloved’s face, wondering what she had ever done to be separated from Rama again and again. 

 The first time, it had been Ravana, the lord of Lanka, who had kidnapped her. She had undergone the Agni Pariksha (walking through fire) to prove her chastity. 

 Then, just because a washer-man had uttered the words, Rama decided to send her to the forest. He had not turned to look back over more than a decade. The king who took care of every single subject, who thought that even the words of a poor washer-man were important, had never bothered to find out if his own wife, the queen, had given birth to his child; if she had survived childbirth; if she was still alive after being abandoned in the forest where dwelt wild animals. 

 And now he was ready to take her back home? Why? Did that mean that the washer-man was no more? What will happen if someone else – a palace servant maybe – said something to besmirch Sita’s name yet again in the future? Will he send her away so that Sita will part with her husband for a third time? 

 Her heart was ready to burst! As a strong trembling took over Sita’s body, a roar resounded in the whole area as the earth split in two – with Rama, his sons and all the army on one side and Sita on the other. Bhumi Devi came out to embrace Sita bodily, going back into the earth within a few seconds. 

 The earth closed up, without leaving a trace. Rama looked on, tears in his eyes, never to see his dear queen ever again. 


Check out some of my favourite bloggers who are also participating in A-Z April Challenge 2015

Eloquent Articulation by Inderpreet Kaur Uppal
I Luv Fiction by Ruchi Singh

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42 comments:

  1. Prasanna RaoApril 22, 2015 at 11:23 AM

    Although I loved the epic story and admire Lord Rama for many of his qualities, I never understood why he asked his queen to take the Agni Pariksha or sent her to the forest. I guess even then women bore the brunt of the hypocritical society.

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    1. Sundari VenkatramanApril 22, 2015 at 12:02 PM

      Thank you for stopping by Prasanna! This question keeps hounding me too

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  2. Devika FernandoApril 22, 2015 at 12:33 PM

    Wow, that was powerful! I'm sure Sita has a better faith like this than still being landed with Rama.

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    1. Sundari VenkatramanApril 22, 2015 at 12:42 PM

      Yeah! There are 2-3 versions to this tale. One suggests that she goes back to live with Rama as his queen. Somehow, I am not able to digest that one. I find this tale more believable :)
      Thank you Devika

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  3. SoumyaApril 22, 2015 at 12:48 PM

    So women have been being treated bad since centuries.

    I don't know why people compare newly married couples to Rama and Sita. Rama never trusted his wife for once, how can that be a happy marriage?

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    1. Sundari VenkatramanApril 22, 2015 at 12:59 PM

      Hmm... that's probably because Rama was called 'Eka Patni Vradhan' - a man who wouldn't look at another woman. And I don't think at any point it was his trust that was in question. He never thought Sita strayed. But as the king, he wanted to please his subjects. That's why I have written about Sita wondering if she wasn't a subject in his kingdom too, requiring the same kind of consideration.
      Thanks for stopping by Soumya :)

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  4. UnknownApril 22, 2015 at 1:37 PM

    Agni Pariksha part is the one I hate the most. :(

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  5. FeeApril 22, 2015 at 2:10 PM

    What a sad tale :(

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  6. Pooja PriyamvadaApril 22, 2015 at 5:01 PM

    Sundari love the way you narrate mythology. You really have a talent for it.
    read my #atozchallenge post for today http://poojasharmarao.blogspot.in/2015/04/signature-in-memory-of-my-late-father.html

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  7. iluvfictionApril 22, 2015 at 5:17 PM

    This was one episode when I felt Rama was not a God. Whole Ramayana invokes deep respect and reverence except this atrocity towards Sita. Well narrated Sundari specially Sita's interior monologue.

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    1. Sundari VenkatramanApril 22, 2015 at 5:18 PM

      Thank you so much Ruchi! I can't but agree with what you say

      Delete
  8. RajlakshmiApril 22, 2015 at 5:23 PM

    Serves him right. A man questioning the chastity of his wife so many times does not deserve her, that's what I feel. I loved the way you described the scene from Sita's perspective.

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    1. Sundari VenkatramanApril 22, 2015 at 5:31 PM

      I know what you mean Rajlakshmi. Thank you so much :)

      Delete
  9. SuzyApril 22, 2015 at 5:39 PM

    I have a completely different view of this. Rama loved Sita dearly and trusted her completely. He would never have sent her into vanvas. We all look at Sita as the victim here but perhaps from a spiritual viewpoint, it was Rama who actually suffered even more. Divine plans are difficult to understand. But that's a post for another day.

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    1. Sundari VenkatramanApril 22, 2015 at 8:47 PM

      Thank you for stopping by Suzy. I agree that Rama loved Sita dearly. But despite that, he felt the need to accept the washerman's words. I accept that there's always a divine plan. Well, the plan for Kaikeyi behaving asking for her boons at the wrong time was for Rama to go to meet Ravana. It wouldn't have been possible otherwise. But I am yet to find an acceptable explanation for Rama sending a pregnant Sita away to the forest. If there is one, I would love to hear that. Believe me, it will help me make peace with myself.

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  10. Susan Gourley/KelleyApril 22, 2015 at 7:15 PM

    Sita reacted as she should. Her husband had treated her horribly and he didn't deserve to ever look on her again.

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    1. Sundari VenkatramanApril 22, 2015 at 8:48 PM

      Thank you for stopping by Susan. Sadly, I agree with you :)

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  11. cleemckenzieApril 22, 2015 at 8:24 PM

    A sad ending after such a long and fitful journey. I'm on Sita's side in this version of the story.

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    1. Sundari VenkatramanApril 22, 2015 at 8:48 PM

      Thank you for stopping by Clee Mckenzie. I am also on Sita's side :)

      Delete
  12. S. L. HennessyApril 22, 2015 at 8:29 PM

    Such a sad story to Sita's tale.

    Good luck with the A to Z Challenge!
    A to Z Co-Host S. L. Hennessy
    http://pensuasion.blogspot.com/

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  13. Shilpa GargApril 22, 2015 at 9:08 PM

    Agni Pariksha and sending Sita away to Valmiki's ashram... I think this aspect of Ramayana left me a little sad. I liked Sita's thoughts and decision! Another beautifully narrated tale, Sundari :)

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    1. Sundari VenkatramanApril 22, 2015 at 9:58 PM

      Thank you so much Shilpa :) That aspect of Ramayana has left a lot of us sad :(

      Delete
  14. AathiraApril 22, 2015 at 10:29 PM

    I had penned something similar too sometime back - I am Sita. I have told the story from Sita's perspective. She is someone who is denied happiness most of her life. Well written!

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    1. Sundari VenkatramanApril 22, 2015 at 10:36 PM

      Thank you Aathira! Is your story 'I am Sita' on your blog? Could you share a link please?

      Delete
  15. Shanaya TalesApril 22, 2015 at 10:31 PM

    This particular incident in Ramayana, and the agni pariksha that preceded it, is not something that I can digest or accept.
    I believe in God. I believe in Divine Plans too. I just can't find an acceptable explanation for Sita having to go through Agni Pariksha, and then having to leave in-spite of coming through it unscathed. If Rama was duty bound to his subjects, did he not feel a sense of duty towards his wife and kids? It makes me so sad.
    *Shantala @ ShanayaTales*

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    1. Sundari VenkatramanApril 22, 2015 at 10:38 PM

      I agree with you 100% Shanaya! This is really sad. Can't understand why Mahavishnu as Avatar Ram would do such a thing

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    2. LisaApril 23, 2015 at 11:07 PM

      Especially when Rama refused to have other wives because he loved Sita so much!

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    3. Sundari VenkatramanApril 23, 2015 at 11:19 PM

      Exactly! Somehow the Rama who loved Sita so dearly got bogged down by rules of society. Considering that he was the king, he could have changed the rules actually. This is one thing for which I couldn't find explanation in any of the texts. Not that I have read all of them :)

      Delete
  16. UnknownApril 23, 2015 at 8:03 AM

    I really feel sorry for this injustice, Sita deserved better.

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  17. the little princessApril 23, 2015 at 8:03 AM

    This is one of the saddest episodes of the epic... but you brought out the emotions of Sita so beautifully! her anguish and her grief is so beautifully expresed! what she feels is so justified!

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    1. Sundari VenkatramanApril 23, 2015 at 11:06 AM

      Thank you so much Little Princess :) I am glad you liked it

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  18. Preethi VenugopalaApril 23, 2015 at 4:09 PM

    Lovely narration Sundari. This tale saddens me every time I read.

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  19. UnknownApril 23, 2015 at 9:34 PM

    I know this is a hotly debated topic about Rama and his double standards, but I also believe that there is a great lesson of endurance and strength that can be learnt from Sita. So maybe the story needed to be told this way as a mark for future generations :)


    *Shailaja/Alternate Angles/A-Z*

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    1. Sundari VenkatramanApril 23, 2015 at 9:44 PM

      Well, double standards is going overboard. I don't think Rama had that - only too much into rules and regulations and what the society thinks. By this point, Sita had obviously reached the end of her patience. Thank you for stopping by Shailaja :)

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  20. LisaApril 23, 2015 at 11:05 PM

    Never again? Oh no! Not how I wanted to see this end. I am following another blog giving the story of Rama and Sita and I didn't know, as yet, that this had happened. Thanks for sharing because I am loving learning of Rama and Sita... Lisa, co-host AtoZ 2015, @ http://www.lisabuiecollard.com

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    1. Sundari VenkatramanApril 23, 2015 at 11:07 PM

      Thank you for visiting Lisa :)
      This story happens some 12-15 years after Rama is coronated king of Ayodhya. Long way to go

      Delete

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