Sita - Warrior of Mithila - By Amish Tripathi

    Choosing to veer away from the traditional and known, Amish Tripathi displays yet another marvel in his latest book, Sita – Warrior of Mithila. Adapting a lesser known version of the life of Ram and Sita, i.e. Adbhuta Ramayana, this novel regales us with the tale of Sita, a princess, a prime minister, a wife and most importantly, The Seventh Vishnu. The book follows a multi-linear narration strategy, instead of a mere sequel. The first book told us the story of Ram. The third will aim at conveying the life of Raavan. The books following these will continue from the same point where the first three ended, i.e. Sitaharan.

  Sita is found as a baby by Queen Sunaina and King Janak, protected by a vulture, against a pack of wolves. She is adopted by the couple and hailed as the princess of Mithila. She is sent to Rishi Shvetaketu for tutelage, where she encounters Maharishi Vishwamitra and his tribe - The Malayaputras. Impressed by her finesse, pragmatism and knowledge, Vishwamitra selects her as the Seventh Vishnu. After honing her skills under her new pedagogue - Vishwamitra, she returns to Mithila, to aid her ailing mother’s rule as the Prime Minister. She uplifts the country and its citizens and stabilizes its financial condition. 

  Then comes in Ram, a student of Maharishi Vaishishtha. Sita learns of Ram being chosen by Vaishishtha as the seventh Vishnu and doubts Vishwamitra’s true intentions, in lieu of the enmity between the Maharishis. She chooses a pragmatic path and opts for a partnership with Ram, combining the interest of both the Maharishis. This evolves into a marriage alliance between the pair, arranged by the scheming Vishwamitra.

  However, Raavan shows up at the swayamwar, where he is enraged by Ram victory. He returns with an army and lays siege beyond Mithila’s gates. The ensuing battle ends with the victory of Mithila, but only because Ram used a Daivi Astra – The Asuraastra.

  Soon after, the couple returns to Ayodhya, where Ram seeks a 14-year exile as punishment for using a Daivi Astra, as per Lord Rudra’s laws. They go into the forest accompanied by Lakshman as well as the Malayaputras to protect and assist them. Their exile passes by with various events, ending with the abduction of Sita by Raavan. Interestingly, there is no golden deer involved, instead Sita is foraging for banana leaves whilst Ram and Lakshman are off hunting for food, when Sita is abducted. Also, Lakshmanrekha, renamed as Lakshman’s wall by Amish, is a defense strategy devised by Lakshman and not a magical barrier drawn by an arrow.

  The book does not feature Sita as a docile, pretty, little bride, nor as the supporting character in a patriarchal marriage, whose only role was to be beautiful and dutiful, accepting every decision of her husband. Rather, she is an adept warrior, with a muscular lithe structure(as promised on the front cover), ready for combat. Wise and intelligent, caring and stern. she possesses the characteristics of a Vishnu, as needed for the society then, recognized by Vishwamitra. Her abilities and skills impress Ram as well, who expresses an unconventional desire for his wife to lead as the Vishnu and him as her follower.

  One cannot help but await the next book, wondering how Amish will make us sympathize with Raavan, the man who broke a perfect marriage. Personally, I’m also quite curious to know how Amish ends up depicting the end of the Ramayana, where, according to the commonly known mythology, Sita is made to go on an exile by her husband and ends up asking Mother Earth to swallow her whole to prove her fidelity in love.

 Featuring an excellent depiction of female Shakti (power) and truly equalizing both the counterparts in one of history’s most famous marriages, Amish Tripathi works his magic yet again enticing and entrapping us within these word webs he spins.