Sita
Sita is the heroine of the Ramayana and the wife of Rama. Her abduction by Ravana and return to Rama shape the epic’s central trials.
Sita's abduction: The episode in which Ravana carries Sita away from the forest dwelling where she lives with Rama and Lakshmana. This abduction sets the search and war that dominate the Ramayana’s later action.
Pativrata: The ideal of a wife’s unwavering devotion and fidelity to her husband in Hindu traditions. Sita is often presented as its exemplary figure, though her story also exposes its costs.
Ramayana: An ancient Sanskrit epic recounting Rama’s exile, Sita’s abduction, and the battle against Ravana. Sita’s story is central to this epic and its many later retellings.
Rama: The prince of Ayodhya and central hero of the Ramayana, regarded in many Hindu traditions as an avatar of Vishnu. Sita’s marriage, exile, separation, and return are bound to Rama’s life and decisions.
Ashoka Vatika: The garden in Lanka where Ravana confines Sita after abducting her. Sita’s refusal to submit to Ravana unfolds during her confinement here.
Feminist readings of the Ramayana: Interpretations of the Ramayana that examine gender, power, and women’s agency. These readings ask how Sita’s choices and imposed trials challenge or reinforce patriarchal norms.
Valmiki Ramayana: The Sanskrit epic traditionally attributed to Valmiki, one of the foundational versions of the Ramayana. It provides the earliest surviving literary account of Sita’s life and trials.
Ravana: The king of Lanka in the Ramayana, who abducts Sita and is defeated by Rama. His abduction of Sita drives the epic’s conflict and raises its questions of power and consent.
Hanuman's meeting with Sita: The episode in which Hanuman finds Sita in Lanka and gives her Rama’s token. Their meeting confirms Sita’s location and carries hope between her and Rama.
Sita in contemporary literature: Modern literary retellings and reinterpretations centered on Sita and her perspective. Many retellings recast her as a speaking subject rather than a figure defined by Rama’s journey.