Sita: Warrior of Mithila
This article's lead section may be too short to adequately summarize the key points. (September 2017) |
Preceded by | Scion of Ikshvaku |
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Followed by | Raavan: Enemy of Aryavarta |
Sita: Warrior of Mithila is the fifth book of
Plot synopsis
During a trip Janak, the king of Mithila and his wife Sunaina find a child on the road, being protected by a vulture. They adopt the child and name her Sita, for she was found in a furrow. As an adolescent, Sita is sent to the ashram of Rishi Shvetaketu for her studies. There she learns about martial arts and gains knowledge on different subjects. She also makes friendship with a girl Radhika, and her cousin Hanuman, who was a Vayuputra—the tribe left by the previous Mahadev, Lord Rudra. He is also a Naga whose appearance looks like the head of a monkey placed on a human body. When Sita is 14 years old, Maharishi Vishvamitra—head of the Malayaputra tribe who serve the next Vishnu—visits Shvetaketu's ashram. Impressed by Sita's skills and knowledge (and a strange connection which he remembers due to the sound of a hill myna), he elects her as the seventh Vishnu but asks her to keep it a secret. Sita also wins the trust of Jatayu, a Naga member of the Malayaputras.
After Sita returns to Mithila, she is bereaved upon her mother Sunaina's death. She also has to take care of her younger sister
Numerous incidents occur during their exile and thirteen years pass by. One day, with Ram and Lakshman out hunting, the camp is attacked by Raavan and his soldiers. Sita rushes to help a wounded Jatayu but loses the fight against so many soldiers. She is abducted and carried unconscious into the Pushpak Viman. Once she regains conscious she attempts to kill Raavan in the vehicle but is stopped by a woman drawing a blade to her throat. With Raavan being alerted, Sita turns back and, in a twist, is startled to see that it is Samichi, revealing that she has been a traitor all along.
Development
The book is based on Sita, the legendary Indian queen regarded as an incarnation of Lakshmi. The title was revealed by the author at his Facebook Page. The story begins with King Janak of Mithila finding a girl child abandoned in a field. She is mysteriously guarded by a vulture from a pack of wolves. King Janak adopts her but he had not wondered that this orphan girl will be the one needed for the protection of the divine land of India from the demon-like desires of King Raavan. It follows through Sita's childhood and tutelage, her marriage with Ram, and ultimately her 14-year exile, accompanied by her husband Ram and his brother Lakshman.[2][3] According to a survey conducted by Landmark Bookstores, the book as deemed as the most anticipated book of 2017 with 36.85% of the participants of the survey inclined to buy it.[4]
Critical response
Gayatri Jayaraman's review in
Rosheena Zehra's review of Sita: Warrior of Mithila in Thequint.com says, Reviewing a writer like Amish is always a challenge. It is easier to write off trashy books, but admiration takes time. Praise demands investment of thought, or so I conclude from personal experience. With this book, Amish has given us a Sita who is fielding armies single-handedly, is a champion archer, an efficient queen, and an able administrator. Additionally, it is refreshing to find a female protagonist in mainstream art whose physical appearance is not prioritised in her portrayal. Amish's book talks about philosophy, uses proper grammar and yet appeals to readers.[6]
References
- ^ "Amish Tripathi launches cover of latest book Sita: Warrior of Mithila". 3 May 2017.
- New Indian Express. Retrieved 3 April 2017.
- ^ "I have portrayed Sita as a warrior, a strong woman', says Amish about his upcoming book". The Times of India. Retrieved 3 April 2017.
- ^ "What's the most anticipated book of 2017?". New Indian Express. 25 April 2017. Retrieved 27 April 2017.
- News18.com. Retrieved 30 May 2017.
- ^ Zehra, Rosheena (31 May 2017). "Amish's New Book: Sita Warrior of Mithila". Thequint.com. Retrieved 31 May 2017.
External links
- Sita: Warrior of Mithila at AmishTripathi.com