Reading Notes: Sita, Daughter of the Earth Part B

Sita: Daughter of the Earth, Pages 46-91
Main Characters: Sita, Rama, Lakshamana, Ravana, Hanuman
POV: The Ramayana from Sita's perspective

• After defeating the rakshasa, Rama and Lakshamana are blessed with gifts of godly weapons (arrows that never run out, swords that remain "unrusted" and bows that allow arrows to be shot with the speed of light) by Maharishi Agastya.
• They meet Jatayu, the king of vultures, on their way to Panchavati and he pledges his allegiance to them; Sita proclaims that Panchavati is even more beautiful that the other pages (the images are so beautiful as well, with flowers and peacocks; did a bit of research and the peacock (Mayura) is associated with Laskhmi for luck and prosperity)

Peacock feathers, the Mayura. Source: Pixabay

•  A female stranger (dressed in a pretty pink sari) approaches and tries to tempt Rama to marriage; when her attempt fails she tries Lakshmana when Rama prompts her as joke (here the volatility of Lakshmana's temperament is shown again; although they are brothers, they are distinct in this respect; perhaps Rama is like snow, or the cool and calm ocean, while Lakshmana is the flame and fire); the woman reveals herself as Shurpanakha, a demon, and tries to attack Sita in order to get rid of her and be with Rama; Lakshmana cuts off her nose and tips of her ears; she promised revenge and returned later with an army led by Khrara, but they too were all defeated by Rama and Lakshmana (their new weapons aiding the ease of their victory)
• Little do they know, Shurpanakha goes to her brother Ravana (as in the other versions I've read) and they devise a plan
• The golden deer is a very beautiful image in this comic book version, and Sita is depicted as being strangely drawn to it without reason (Maaricha is a sorcerer and perhaps bewitched her); the version follows others in that Sita is captured by Ravana after Rama goes to retrieve the deer for her, but here Ravana presents himself as a Brahmin, and her kindness to help him is Sita's downfall. 
• Jatayu is murdered trying to help; nine months pass that Sita is kept captive by Rama and only then does Hanuman, son of the wind god also pledged to Rama, appears; here he actually sings to her all that Rama has done on his quest to rescue her ("Jatayu whispered how he had tried, Then in Rama's arms he died") and assures her Rama is coming (interesting to note that in this version the rakshasa's that bombarded Sita trying to get her to agree to marry Ravana, turn to her side once the battle begins)

Ravana tries to tempt Sita, to persuade her to marry him. Source: Europeana Collections

• After the battle of Lanka and Ravana is defeated, Rama is wary of Sita after she has lived within another man's house; in this version Sita walking into the fire is an act of suicide because she cannot bear to live without Rama; Agni the fire god, says he 'cannot burn this pure, innocent and loyal lady'. 
• In this version, the story of Sita's self-imposed exile even after becoming pregnant is told; she goes away from Ayodhya after its people spread awful rumours about her 'purity' and Rama's willingness to accept her back (here Sita herself stresses the importance of duty to keeping the kingdom's people happy rather than duty to her marriage)

Sita in Exile. Source: Europeana Collections

• Living as a hermit, she raises her two sons (Luv and Kusha); after a while the sons and she too are reunited with Rama in the palace; he asks her to swear an oath of purity but she refuses saying that people will never relent their malicious accusations ("mortal memories are fickle...and in a few years people will forget my oath today, and again accuse us of violating the law") and returns back to the Earth with her divine mother, Bhudevi (here Sita actually resembles Bhudevi, this ending held a lot of sadness and beauty for me)

Sita returns to the embrace of her 'true mother', Bhudevi, Bhumi, mother goddess of the earth. Source: Jagatpati, Pinterest

Reference: Saraswati Nagpal, Sita: Daughter of the Earth [Graphic Novel; Print].