In Indian mythology, Shiva and Parvati, rule as the ideal celestial couple whose union is symbolic for the cosmic fusion between the masculine and the feminine. No myth has dogged Indian ‘womanhood’ as resolutely as that of Sita, Lord Ram’s wife. As the ubiquitous earthly conjugal ideal, Lord Ram and Sita, have ruled as icons of what ideal man/woman should reflect. However Ram being a ‘God’ placed little stress on men to emulate, for they could easily excuse their frailties as ‘mortal’. Sita is altogether another matter. She has hovered as the wife ‘ideal’ fashioning if you will, the term ‘pati-vrata’ as of immaculate obedience, chaste and forever supine before every absurd act and desire of her husband for he is her lord and Master.

Since myths are vulnerable to populist interpretations, much has been subverted in this great tale to suit masculine versions of what indeed may be a very different Sita, symbolizing a completely different ideal.

Interestingly in the epic Ramayana, Ram’s role as the ‘maryadapurushottam’ (upholder of traditions) centers squarely on Sita’s chastity. According to the myth Ravana kidnaps Sita from the forest (where Ram, Sita and Lakshman were living during their 14 years of exile from the kingdom of Ayodhya) and Ram rescues Sita by defeating Ravana. The tale is a fireball of the forces which unite to vanquish evil (Ravana depicted more as demon than the awesome scholar sage that he was), the convoluted war and finally the victory. Celestial celebrations (which we know as the modern day Diwali) marked the victory and Ram’s return to his kingdom and his coronation.

However now the tale gets absurd. After all that verve and valour to rescue his wife, Ram then turns to confront her with ‘doubt’ that she may no longer be chaste. Well I guess even male God’s suffer from suspicious, petty heads as Ram displays. But rather than chastise him for his narrow-mindedness, or extol the virtues of Sita being Goddess mother, the kingdom joins in clucking their gossipy tongues and asking her to prove her ‘purity’. Championing further this absurdity, Ram tells Sita that he would be willing to accept her but his kingdom has questioned her chastity and he owes ‘them’ proof. Right! Moving along this tale of exalted Gods and their venerable ways, Sita hurt but stoic, assures Ram that she is chaste and has not been touched by Ravana. Nope! Says Ram, won’t do, why don’t you skip through some burning flames which, if they do not turn you to ash will prove that you are virtuous and untainted.

Sita agrees and does survive the flames but imagine that not just her word, but her fearlessness in jumping into the flames causes no mortification or shame to any of the concerned players.

Ram’s role as a dutiful king, sensitive to the demands of his subjects, is obviously poised on how far he goes to define Sita’s sexuality and autonomy. Unmoved by what he has been asking his wife to endure, he broods some more (after the fire purification scene) and finally tells Sita that a subject (a washer-man) is still not convinced. Finally fed up Sita opts to leave the kingdom (even when she is pregnant) which our matchless Lord Ram agrees to. This after she spends 14 years in the forest with him, gets kidnapped as revenge for an act done by his younger brother against Ravana, is reclaimed obviously to lend valour and honour to Ram and his allies. Now she is cast off so that Ram can appear as a King dedicated to the ‘wishes’ of his subjects, even when it means wronging his own wife. Ahem! Quite a tale and an even harder standard set for men to live up to!

Sita takes refuge with Maharishi Valmiki at his ashram in the forest and gives birth to twin boys, raising them up as a single mother. Obviously her parenting skills were remarkable for they grow to be powerful warriors and the story finally climaxes when the boys are able to catch the sacred horse of Ram’s ‘yagna’, an act which could amount to war. The truth finally spills out and the estranged father gushes over his newly found sons and the heirs to his throne. This is where the story really stamps Sita’s identity and character. She refuses to return with what appears to be a chastised Ram, hands over the sons and says clearly that she is quite finished with her business and the only space, which can truly contain her is the Earth. Apparently in one interpretation, Sita was actually discovered as a baby in a container buried in the Earth, by King Janak (who then became her father). The import of the end then being, that she either returns to her source or that the largesse of the earth being the only requisite space to contain one such as she. Done as she was with mortal relationships and their games.

In interpretation little is said about why she chooses not to return with Ram, especially so when as a meek, witless woman she should have now gone scurrying back when her husband demanded so. The final dialogue between the two is apparently a powerful rendition of Sita’s clarity, dignity and contempt for male myopia.

Nevertheless Sita was deified since then as the ‘wife’, who never questions, endures all and still venerates her husband as Lord and God. An interpretation, particularly suitable for justifying any and all suspicion of Indian women’s chastity and sexuality. In as much, as in common parlance one often heard that ‘ if a woman is not of the highest virtue no man will tolerate her. Why even Lord Ram sent her packing just because the ‘washer-man’ was suspicious of Sita.’

This pre-occupation with Sita’s sexuality- her virtue, chastity, purity- is hammered into the minds of young girls in our society. Sita is made the role model for girls to imbibe (especially as wives) attributes such as loyalty, obedience and above all chastity. A mantra that young girls must learn to chant ‘ to their husband’s funeral pyre where they will burn along with their husbands’ (read this metaphorically) and attain the status of ‘Sita Maiya’- the ‘virtuous’ woman. From being Sita they become Sati.

But is there a reason how the twisted interpretation of Sita finds a logical ending in Sati? Is it mere coincidence that both names are merely the rearrangement of the same four letters? In my final post I will examine the myth of Sati further to delve into the connection or what is easily a logical continuum to Sita.