Sitayan by Mallika Sengupta [Hardcover]

"From birth to the final moments of life, those shadowed by the darkness of unexpected misfortune, seek to discover themselves anew in the light of inquiry. 'Sitayan' is not merely an echo of the Ramayana; this classical novel is a modern prose narrative of Sita, daughter of Janaka. In her thirty-sixth year, Sita is expecting a child. In this moment of sacred motherhood, she embodies the aura of a sacrificial flame. She feels the touch of much-desired joy. Suddenly, the popular King Rama, fearing public opinion, decides to abandon Sita. Following his orders, Lakshmana leaves Sita in exile near Valmiki's ashram in Naimisharanya. Ignoring his pregnant wife and unborn child, Dasarathi prioritized statecraft that day. However, that Aryan statecraft is nothing but a weapon for heartless male domination and various ulterior motives. Walking the path of perpetual sorrow, the mother of Luv and Kush realizes this truth and transforms into an independent, self-reliant, and self-illuminated Sita. But how? Through what penance? This is the intimate portrayal in Mallika Sengupta's novel."