SITA’S SISTER

 : Sita’s Sister

 : Kavita Kane

 : 309

 : #nonfiction

 : ./5

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 How about a retelling of our famous epic Ramayana by one of the most neglected female characters who certainly deserved to be in the limelight aka Urmila?

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 Kavita Kane brings to the fore one of the lesser-known and almost forgotten mythological characters. Urmila aka Mila, as fondly called by Lakshmana, is a delicately beautiful and spirited young princess who is mostly overshadowed by the adopted daughter Sita. Urmila has never shown any jealousy whenever Sita was showered with praises and she with scoldings! Mila comes across as an individual who has no qualms in speaking out her mind and accepts her situations gracefully. Despite being the second fiddle to Sita and left alone by her husband over his brotherly duties, she stands up bravely and proves to be a great source of strength for her loved ones.

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 Mila suffered as much as others during Ram’s exile. She chose to stay behind and look after the royal duties, studied and became a renowned scholar, all the while pining for her husband. She hopelessly falls in love with Lakshman, despite knowing that she’ll always come second to him, his priority being Ram. She breaks down in despair when Lakshman leaves, only to bring herself together and reign on! Kaikeyi is also shown to have another side to her, which was a truly shocking revelation to me!

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 Kavita Kane has aptly voiced and portrayed Urmila as a tempestuous princess in love, a vivacious bride, an insecure and doting wife, and an ambitious woman! Her writing has made me fall in love with Mila, the enchantress and at times felt, I too was a lot like her in real life! Honestly, this book made me see an epic from Mila’s point of view and it’s simply the best I’ve read so far. Apart from focusing on Urmila, it also narrates the story of how four sisters, married on the same day but lived in similar wretchedness and how each of them acknowledge and accept their lives. I loved the questions raised by Mila to her elders and was in wonder of her:)

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 I strongly recommend this book for all!