Lakshman is everywhere around her. Each corner of the palace can feel his presence, his voice, his laugh, his footsteps when he comes in the room when she is painting.
It was the last day of exile and the day when Ram killed Ravan. Lakshman killed Meghanad.
The city singing their bravery, everyone began celebrations in the palace for their grand welcome.The news spread like wildfire that Sita in the moment of defiance has walked in the burning fire to prove her chasity and has returned safe. The fire haven’t touched her, everyone in lanka wanted to catch a glimpse of her for whom the war has been faught.
The scene playing in the mind. after Shatrughn has informed the family that Ram, Sita, Lakshman are on their way home but agnipariksha has shocked the sisters
Urmila says – how could Ram have allowed it, why he would asked
Mandavi says – was he not the husband who rescued his wife, was he not the lover who was waiting to see his beloved again, was he the queen in front of his subjects
Shrutakirti says – how would be didi feeling
Mandavi says – so, as the king Ram was expected to uphold moral principles and to perform his duty and thus he might felt it necessary, was it this overriding responsibility of setting the right standard as a king, it was essential to prove her chasity before the society but despite all this, the morality of the act is questionable, she did not stay in lanka willingly, then why this doubt in people’s mind
Urmila says – if that was the case, Ram would have renounced his throne and his status as the king to protect her rather than be answerable to his people who dared to point fingers at his wife, it is the dilemma of the husband vs king – who is higher, is the moral question, it is to a wife who choose to go to exile with him than stay in the luxury
Shrutakirti says – yes, he knew she was true, she was his love, it was calculated, deliberate move on his part, it was his predetermined wish to ask Sita’s chasity so that it can never be questioned. Ram did it to preserve Sita’s reputation to preserve dharm. He did it so that no one later would ever point fingers at his wife
Mandavi says – agreed, but what crime had she committed so that to cover up and prove to to the world her innocence and this is for his subjects, can we stop them from gossiping
Urmila says – the best way to remove public misconception is to address directly, he stood for all the women – wives of ravan, bali, gautam, so why not Sita
Shrutakirti says – agnipariksha was a way for silencing people, this society is hypocritical, Ram saved these women from social disgrace but not Sita because if he had openly shielded her, society would have raised fingers at him and accused him for covering his own
Urmila says – if what his subjects believe is so important for him then why he didn’t listen to them when they begged her to stay back
Mandavi says – they wanted him to stay back, become king but he went to the exile to keep his father’s words but that words are forced on king
Shrutakirti says – he did to establish his faithfulness to the world so that they can not question her character, to protect her
Mandavi says – it has been wrong with her but I can’t understand why Sita kept silent, it was she who ordered Lakshman to make the fire
Urmila says – what must he have gone through, his hands would have trembled, he protected her for 14 years, he was not ready
Mandavi says – I think Sita would be the best person to answer, so much is to be done
Shrutakirti says – they are returning, that will be a special day
Shanta says – I will dress up all 4 of you as brides
Mandavi says – Urmila should be dressed up first, you are the most special bride, I am so happy for you, Lakshman is back
They arrived home