See Also: Sita(encyclopedia)

Sita (sh)




In Hindu mythology, the consort of Rama.

She sprang from a furrow when King Janaka was plowing his field, and Rama won her as his bride by bending Shiva's bow. Her abduction by the demon king Ravana and subsequent rescue are described in the Ramayana. She kept herself chaste during her long imprisonment, and on her return she proved her purity by undergoing an ordeal by fire. A symbol of the sufferings and strengths of women, she is one of the most revered figures in the Hindu pantheon.


Sita, Mughal painting, c. 1600; in the collection of Bharat Kala Bhavan, ...

Pramod Chandra