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In Search of Sita: Revisiting Mythology
Sita is one of the defining figures of Indian womanhood, yet there is no single version of her story. Different accounts coexist in myth, literature and folktale. Canonical texts deify Sita while regional variations humanize her. Folk songs and ballads connect her timeless predicament to the daily lives of rural women. Modern-day women continue to see themselves reflected in films, serials and soap operas based on Sita’s narrative.
Sacrifice, self denial and unquestioning loyalty are some of the ideals associated with popular perceptions of Sita. But the Janaki who symbolized strength, who could lift Shiva’s mighty bow, who courageously chose to accompany Rama into exile and who refused to follow him back after a second trial, is often forgotten.
However she is remembered, revered or written about, Sita continues to exert a powerful influence on the collective Indian psyche. In Search of Sita presents essays, conversations and commentaries that explore different aspects of her life. It revisits mythology, reopening the debate on her birth, her days in exile, her abduction, the test by fire, the birth of her sons and, finally, her return to the earth—offering fresh interpretations of this enigmatic figure and her indelible impact on our everyday lives.
Sacrifice, self denial and unquestioning loyalty are some of the ideals associated with popular perceptions of Sita. But the Janaki who symbolized strength, who could lift Shiva’s mighty bow, who courageously chose to accompany Rama into exile and who refused to follow him back after a second trial, is often forgotten.
However she is remembered, revered or written about, Sita continues to exert a powerful influence on the collective Indian psyche. In Search of Sita presents essays, conversations and commentaries that explore different aspects of her life. It revisits mythology, reopening the debate on her birth, her days in exile, her abduction, the test by fire, the birth of her sons and, finally, her return to the earth—offering fresh interpretations of this enigmatic figure and her indelible impact on our everyday lives.
270 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
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April 2, 2013The most notable thing about this book is that I could never imagine that ancient Indian women were never as subdued as how today’s women are. They were more empowered and were the main characters who had superiority in the roles they were in, making these epics much more meaningful. The author also narrates about very pious and empowered women playing their very powerful roles of women such as Kunti, Anasuya, and Draupadi.
In latter part of Indian tradition and culture, a wrong notion about how man should be the bread maker and women should be contented to be a home maker made me feel that mythology has been misrepresented. This happened after the invasion of the country, after which the womanly roles became confusing and conflicting to the ancient ones. This, I believe, completely changed the way women were treated in the latter period.
The revisiting of Sita in mythology was very well described by the author, in that he narrated about the empowered Sita’s courage, which has been overlooked and maybe forgotten. Sita has always been described as the goddess of some of ideals such as sacrifice, self denial and unquestioning loyalty. Janaki (Sita’s other name) represented vigor, who lifted Shiva’s mighty bow, and courageously chose to go to forest with Rama. She gave in the first time she was put on a trial of her chastity. But, when the second trial was ordered, she refused to follow him back and went back to her mother earth. Sita going back to the Mother Earth was a curt refusal of not being part of her order where she never received respect that she deserved. This today can be interpreted as Sita being a subdued and sacrificing noble wife. She was certainly noble, but powerful too, who took her own decisions!
Sita was never a role model for me, except for her piety, nobility, and extreme intelligence in dealing with royal problems. My role models were Indira Gandhi, Joan of Arc, and Rani Jhansi. After reading this book, my interest in how women in ancient India were depicted as Shakti. Shakti is the basis for energizing the entire universe, without which there is no creation! This book is a must read to all women, especially Hindu women interested and have confused gender roles and are trying to make their life meaningful, without falling into the false traps of their traditional beliefs that have been altered and mis-informed.
In latter part of Indian tradition and culture, a wrong notion about how man should be the bread maker and women should be contented to be a home maker made me feel that mythology has been misrepresented. This happened after the invasion of the country, after which the womanly roles became confusing and conflicting to the ancient ones. This, I believe, completely changed the way women were treated in the latter period.
The revisiting of Sita in mythology was very well described by the author, in that he narrated about the empowered Sita’s courage, which has been overlooked and maybe forgotten. Sita has always been described as the goddess of some of ideals such as sacrifice, self denial and unquestioning loyalty. Janaki (Sita’s other name) represented vigor, who lifted Shiva’s mighty bow, and courageously chose to go to forest with Rama. She gave in the first time she was put on a trial of her chastity. But, when the second trial was ordered, she refused to follow him back and went back to her mother earth. Sita going back to the Mother Earth was a curt refusal of not being part of her order where she never received respect that she deserved. This today can be interpreted as Sita being a subdued and sacrificing noble wife. She was certainly noble, but powerful too, who took her own decisions!
Sita was never a role model for me, except for her piety, nobility, and extreme intelligence in dealing with royal problems. My role models were Indira Gandhi, Joan of Arc, and Rani Jhansi. After reading this book, my interest in how women in ancient India were depicted as Shakti. Shakti is the basis for energizing the entire universe, without which there is no creation! This book is a must read to all women, especially Hindu women interested and have confused gender roles and are trying to make their life meaningful, without falling into the false traps of their traditional beliefs that have been altered and mis-informed.
December 25, 2012
I have to admit I was a little disappointed with this book. I was looking for a deeper understanding of the enigma that is Sita. She is said to be strong and full of fortitude which manifests in her quiet courage. We know that, we always did. There are lot of essays and writings about Sita but all strive to point this out. I found the whole collection only served to make her uni- dimensional. There was no new perspective about Sita, only a lot of rousing endorsements. Except the Short piece by Shashi Deshpande. The two stars are for the effort taken to bring all the writings under one cover.
March 14, 2011
One or two essays were outstanding.
A couple of essays were so out of place that they left me with a bad taste at the end of the book. Firstly, the essay on Nehru's views on women mentioned Sita only in passing. Second, Malashri Lal's essay force-fitting Tulsi (of Kyon ki saas bhi...) into a Sita-esque mold was ridiculous.
A couple of essays were so out of place that they left me with a bad taste at the end of the book. Firstly, the essay on Nehru's views on women mentioned Sita only in passing. Second, Malashri Lal's essay force-fitting Tulsi (of Kyon ki saas bhi...) into a Sita-esque mold was ridiculous.
November 13, 2016
To describe it simplistically, this book contains essays on the subject of Sita, different representations of Sita in art and literature and extracts from different versions of the Ramayana in prose and verse form. However, this description undermines the true value of the book.
To someone who is open-minded, this is a fantastic illustration of the saying “No two persons ever read the same book” (attributed to Edmund Wilson on Goodreads). I did not know that the Ramayana had been scrutinised from so many different perspectives and that such scrutiny had yielded such diverse perceptions of the same basic story.
While the various images of Sita are amazing to encounter, for me this book served a greater purpose. It got me thinking about mainstream and peripheral, female role models, patriarchy and the subtle battles against it, feminism and its Western stamp, an Indian notion of feminism, feminist ideals and ground realities, the strength of women, Indian mythology and its relevance for Indian women (Hindu and otherwise) and above all, the need for a space where different Sitas can be perceived, studied, celebrated, acknowledged and maybe even lamented.
To someone who is open-minded, this is a fantastic illustration of the saying “No two persons ever read the same book” (attributed to Edmund Wilson on Goodreads). I did not know that the Ramayana had been scrutinised from so many different perspectives and that such scrutiny had yielded such diverse perceptions of the same basic story.
While the various images of Sita are amazing to encounter, for me this book served a greater purpose. It got me thinking about mainstream and peripheral, female role models, patriarchy and the subtle battles against it, feminism and its Western stamp, an Indian notion of feminism, feminist ideals and ground realities, the strength of women, Indian mythology and its relevance for Indian women (Hindu and otherwise) and above all, the need for a space where different Sitas can be perceived, studied, celebrated, acknowledged and maybe even lamented.
June 21, 2014
Amazing body of work! An amalgam of some very focussed & literate minds who bring forth the "Sita" as she was and what she actually represented against the "Sita" as she has been projected & handed down by generations cleverly brainwashed by the patriachal society. Every single page grasps your attention & forces you to ruminate some & only then lets you proceed. Every Indian should read it, although it addresses a global anethema.
October 27, 2015
An intellectual treat. A collection of essays that beg to be read over and over again. I thoroughly enjoyed the essays that deconstructed the Sita myth and put her back together. Who was Sita? Is she an apt role model? What can we learn from her? Have we misunderstood her all these years? What can Sita teach us about our own womanhood, our femininity and feminism? More so do we have the tenacity and veracity to be the women that we are, to let our true selves shine?
I was relieved to see that a lot of questions I asked about Ram and Sita were not limited to me, that I had not blasphemed. Of the essays that really resonated with me were Devdutts, Soms, Paleys and Anamikas . I look forward to reading them again at a later stage.
I was relieved to see that a lot of questions I asked about Ram and Sita were not limited to me, that I had not blasphemed. Of the essays that really resonated with me were Devdutts, Soms, Paleys and Anamikas . I look forward to reading them again at a later stage.
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January 25, 2016Different viewpoints on what Sita means to us as Indians and in particular to Indian women. Was the Sita that is held up as the ideal of a good, submissive wife and daughter (and hence a good woman) the real Sita? Were stronger facets of her personality glossed over by writers who were too focused on Ram or perhaps writing under the influence of a traditional (read patriarchal) upbringing?
My favourite question from the book is: "Why does every Indian man expect his wife to be Sita when he cannot ever admit to being a perfect man like Ram?" Then again, may be I don't want a Ram for a husband. He wasn't very good for his wife, was he?
My favourite question from the book is: "Why does every Indian man expect his wife to be Sita when he cannot ever admit to being a perfect man like Ram?" Then again, may be I don't want a Ram for a husband. He wasn't very good for his wife, was he?
December 7, 2012
An astoundingly good collection of articles, stories and poems centered around Sita from the Ramayana. It includes folk retellings, versions other than Valmiki and Tulsidas, and also feminist interpretations without even once depicting Sita as the victimised female lead of an epic, as popular media would like us to believe.
I particularly loved the pieces written by Lord Meghnad Desai, Ranga Rao, Namita Gokhale, Sonal Mansingh, Devdutt Pattanaik and Madhu Kishwar.The fictional retellings - some written in English and some translated from other languages - are well written.
I particularly loved the pieces written by Lord Meghnad Desai, Ranga Rao, Namita Gokhale, Sonal Mansingh, Devdutt Pattanaik and Madhu Kishwar.The fictional retellings - some written in English and some translated from other languages - are well written.
June 17, 2019
In Search of Sita is a collection of essays, poems, interviews and various other creative interpretations of Sita. Some of you might think that isn't it a little repetitive? Why are we still talking about a character from an ancient epic, someone who's not even real? But Sita is an integral part of the Indian mass consciousness. Sita is the embodiment of womanhood in India. Since childhood, girls are taught to idolise Sita.
Sita has been the epitome of what an ideal Indian woman should be. Yet, there is no single version of her story. There are so many accounts in myths, legends, folktales and literature. Each connects her to the masses in different ways. The Sanskrit texts deify her, the regional variations portray her as human and the folk songs and ballads connect her sorrows with rural women. This has rooted Sita permanently in the Indian mass consciousness
to read the whole review: https://www.theliterarycircle.com/boo...
Sita has been the epitome of what an ideal Indian woman should be. Yet, there is no single version of her story. There are so many accounts in myths, legends, folktales and literature. Each connects her to the masses in different ways. The Sanskrit texts deify her, the regional variations portray her as human and the folk songs and ballads connect her sorrows with rural women. This has rooted Sita permanently in the Indian mass consciousness
to read the whole review: https://www.theliterarycircle.com/boo...
April 2, 2020
Best and only best.. 😊
April 5, 2020
An interesting collection.
June 12, 2023
The book did not match my expectations.
It has a couple of really good essays but apart from that I couldn't get much out of it.
It has a couple of really good essays but apart from that I couldn't get much out of it.
January 18, 2025
An excellent compilation of Sita stories which give you a whole new perspective of how tales are always told from the point of view of men.
October 21, 2015
A superb piece of work from superb professors of mine. One couldn't expect anything less than this coming from them. As the current world is busy pronouncing that the ancient scriptures had always promulgated the idea of confining women in bounds and it is only the modern 'civilization' that has facilitated the emancipation of women, the book shatters the myth and raises Sita to the pedestal of women as strong as Rani Jhansi or Hillary Clinton. At a time when her chastity was in question, she submits obediently the first time but when questioned the second time, she chose to return from where she came-to mother Earth proving not only her chastity but the fact that maybe her consort was not fit enough to have someone as strong and divine like her for company. This attitude of refusing to be treated as a doormat and having an equal say with a mind of her own catches the interest of the readers. The writers have done a great deal of research and an undoubtedly and excellent compilation has come forth for us. A genuine treasure to read.
April 12, 2015
Amazing account of Ramayana or rather Sitayana from different perspectives.
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November 10, 2018very insightful book.... the interview from different people giving their views on Sita / Womanhood and situations.... are eye-opening.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews