Book review- Sita Warrior of Mithila by Amish Tripathi (Ramachandra Series- Part 2)

 

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The Indian female mythological figures have always fascinated me. I am forever in awe of their fears and their dares which may either be documented in history or illustrated through the cleverness of numerous writers. Part 2 of the Ramchandra Series by Amish has devoted to the legendary Indian queen heeded as an incarnation of Lakshmi, titled Sita.

The portrayal of her is in total contrast to the classic tale of Ramayana. 

At the advent of the book, Sita is shown as a tiny foundling being guarded by a vulture and discovered by the King and Queen of Mithila who rescue her and then bring her up as their daughter. Sita grows into a young warrior and is depicted as the prime minister of Mithila. Her talent and potential are recognized by Guru Vishwamitra early on. It is his idea to groom her into becoming the 'Vishnu' whose duty will be to lead the country's dharma. As her future husband Ram is also being trained to take on the title of Vishnu by Vishwamitra's rival Guru Vashishta, one wonders how Amish will reconcile such narrative difficulties and also manage to get the pair married off happily. But he carves this saga of "brains and beauty" worth reading.

The book has justified the retelling of Sita who willingly follows her husband into exile. The logic behind may deviate completely from the real legend but the Amish made it look acceptable and kind of practical. She is like a modern-day partner in crime/life type wife… a partnership of equals.

There are some really deep philosophies mentioned in the book which provoke us to look at history and mythology in a new light.

Quotes-

“The only "ism" I believe in, is pragmatism.”

“Life is not only about what we want, but also about what we must do. We don’t just have rights. We also have duties.”

“Happiness is not an accident. It is a choice. It is in our hands to be happy. Always in our hands.”

“You must use your heart to decide the destination, but use your head to plot the journey. People who only listen to their hearts usually fail. On the other hand, people who only use their heads tend to be selfish.”

“The Masculine way is ordered, efficient and fair at its best, but fanatical and violent at its worst. The Feminine way is creative, passionate, and caring at its best, but decadent and chaotic at its worst. No one way of life is better or worse.”

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