The Forest of Enchantments by Chitra Banerjee DivakaruniMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
I had started reading Chitra Banerjee's The Forest of Enchantments with a casual detachment thinking this was a reproduction of Valmiki's Ramayan. Any self respecting Indian has in some time or the other gotten introduced to the story of the valiant and perfect prince Lord Ram and his suave, strong, utterly wronged wife Sita. I didn't expect this book to be different. I empathized strongly with Sita who had to keep proving herself to her husband and his praja (citizens), in spite of wrongs done to her. And though Valmiki's Ramayan is a colossus that deals with a lot of other stories including Ram's unfair banishment from Ayodhya, Sita's story demands empathy and just retribution. So Chitra's retelling of the classic is important and relevant.
Chitra Divakaruni's Forest of Enchantment focuses on Sita's side of the story - from the time she marries Ram, taking her rightful place as his wife, enjoying a brief blissful life in the palace in Ayodhya, enduring tough life in the forest, getting kidnapped by Ravan, living in isolation, untouched and pure in the Ravan's palace gardens, her subsequent rescue from Lanka and the agnipariksha in the battle field that tilts the story towards her. It goes on to trace her rise to a noble Queen assisting Lord Ram to rule Ayodhya, despite the lurking shadow of doubts in the minds of all those involved.
Mostly the book is engrossing, except for places when the author's voice comes through - perhaps it is in the language used or in the presumptuous voicing of Sita's inner turmoil and/or her deep private thoughts.
"And in any case Ram's eyes were on me all the time, too. The appreciation in them went beyond mere admiration of my looks."
Sentences like the one above has the feel of reading a romantic book; hardly a language one would associate with a classic. I couldn't wrap my head around these bold, visual descriptions that passes as Sita's thoughts. It was a welcome deviation from what one would expect, but was still a little difficult to take in.
The book was mostly a light, easy read that ended in a gripping manner. I had tears in my eyes as I closed the book on the memorable words of Sita - "Because if I do what you demand, society will use my action forever after to judge other women. Even when they aren't guilty, the burden of proving their innocence will fall on them. And society will say, why not? Even Queen Sita went through it. I can't do that to them..."
Such strong, beautiful words...they have inspired me to read Valmiki's Ramayan properly and understand the story better.
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