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A review by _askthebookbug
Vimuktha Kadha Samputi by Volga
5.0
| Book Review | The Liberation Of Sita.
•
‘I can protect myself. I can match you in archery,’ Sita had said, laughing. Rama’s face had fallen.
‘As long as I am alive, you will never have to protect yourself. Such a situation must never arise. You must look towards me for protection. You must turn to my strong arms for protection. If you take care of yourself, what am I for? Promise me that you will never do that'. - Volga.
•
Everyone knows the trials that Sita had to go through to prove her chastity and the unfairness of it all is truly heartbreaking. To begin with Sita's life was dedicated to her husband Sri Ram, in serving and loving him. It was after her abduction by Ravana that things began to unravel at a great speed. In this slim book by Volga (originally known as Lalita Kumari), she brings into light the lesser known characters who bring about a significant change in Sita. Originally written in Telugu and later translated to English by T. Vijay Kumar and C. Vijayasree, this book oozes feminism. This should come as no surprise considering how a fierce feminist and activist Volga was. I loved Volga's interview which is documented by Vijay Kumar in this book.
•
There are five small chapters in this book, each different and yet interlinked with each other. In each of these chapters, Sita meets a woman on whom stories are weaved and labels are pasted. Ahalya, who was turned to stone by her husband for being duped by Indra, goes to show Sita that her truth is different from the one that people claim to know. Suparnaka, whose ears and nose were cut by Lakshmana finds love in nature and makes peace with it. When Sita stumbles across her by chance years after the incident, she finds a bond of friendship unfurling inside her chest. Renuka Devi, famous for being known as the mother who's head was cut off by her own son Parashuram, tells Sita that in this life even sons cannot be considered as your own. Later her own sister, Urmila consoles Sita at the time of her trial. All these women have something to pass down to Sita. It is after all this that she attains liberation.
•
For as long as man has existed, it has always been clear that women were used as objects of desire or ridicule. Their lives even back during the mythological era were tales of woes. When Sita's chastity was questioned, she goes through a turbulent time during which she questions Rama's love for her. With the birth of her sons Lava and Kusha, she manages to find a brief sense of understanding before realising that they belong to the universe alone. From Draupadi to Madhavi, there were many unfortunate women who got caught up in unthinkable situations for no fault of theirs. Albeit Sita's story is well known there are many other women who were put through this misery with no way out.
•
When it comes to Sita, there's a clear transition in her personality. At the very end when she decides to go back to Mother Earth, she does it gracefully and with dignity. I especially liked how Volga decided to add Rama's perspective in this book. Between his role as a King and also as a husband, he struggles to grasp a middle ground. At the end his love for Sita wavers in front of his responsibilities of acting as a honorable King. This book reflects feminism like no other and I highly recommend it to everyone. Though some of the essence was lost in translation, this still is a very important book.
•
Rating - 4.5/5
•
‘I can protect myself. I can match you in archery,’ Sita had said, laughing. Rama’s face had fallen.
‘As long as I am alive, you will never have to protect yourself. Such a situation must never arise. You must look towards me for protection. You must turn to my strong arms for protection. If you take care of yourself, what am I for? Promise me that you will never do that'. - Volga.
•
Everyone knows the trials that Sita had to go through to prove her chastity and the unfairness of it all is truly heartbreaking. To begin with Sita's life was dedicated to her husband Sri Ram, in serving and loving him. It was after her abduction by Ravana that things began to unravel at a great speed. In this slim book by Volga (originally known as Lalita Kumari), she brings into light the lesser known characters who bring about a significant change in Sita. Originally written in Telugu and later translated to English by T. Vijay Kumar and C. Vijayasree, this book oozes feminism. This should come as no surprise considering how a fierce feminist and activist Volga was. I loved Volga's interview which is documented by Vijay Kumar in this book.
•
There are five small chapters in this book, each different and yet interlinked with each other. In each of these chapters, Sita meets a woman on whom stories are weaved and labels are pasted. Ahalya, who was turned to stone by her husband for being duped by Indra, goes to show Sita that her truth is different from the one that people claim to know. Suparnaka, whose ears and nose were cut by Lakshmana finds love in nature and makes peace with it. When Sita stumbles across her by chance years after the incident, she finds a bond of friendship unfurling inside her chest. Renuka Devi, famous for being known as the mother who's head was cut off by her own son Parashuram, tells Sita that in this life even sons cannot be considered as your own. Later her own sister, Urmila consoles Sita at the time of her trial. All these women have something to pass down to Sita. It is after all this that she attains liberation.
•
For as long as man has existed, it has always been clear that women were used as objects of desire or ridicule. Their lives even back during the mythological era were tales of woes. When Sita's chastity was questioned, she goes through a turbulent time during which she questions Rama's love for her. With the birth of her sons Lava and Kusha, she manages to find a brief sense of understanding before realising that they belong to the universe alone. From Draupadi to Madhavi, there were many unfortunate women who got caught up in unthinkable situations for no fault of theirs. Albeit Sita's story is well known there are many other women who were put through this misery with no way out.
•
When it comes to Sita, there's a clear transition in her personality. At the very end when she decides to go back to Mother Earth, she does it gracefully and with dignity. I especially liked how Volga decided to add Rama's perspective in this book. Between his role as a King and also as a husband, he struggles to grasp a middle ground. At the end his love for Sita wavers in front of his responsibilities of acting as a honorable King. This book reflects feminism like no other and I highly recommend it to everyone. Though some of the essence was lost in translation, this still is a very important book.
•
Rating - 4.5/5