Sita is worshipped in India as a paragon of virtue. However, it is rarely mentioned that Sita often flouted the conventions and norms of her time; she defied Ram’s aspersions, stood up to Ravan, and raised two children as a single mother. Though Sita underwent two trials by fire, the ordinary Indian woman faces trials every day and is expected to pass an agnipariksha at every turn in her life. Sita Returns illustrates Sita’s journey to learn about the condition of women in twenty-first century India. Epitomizing the struggles of women in Indian society, Sita relates her own experiences to those of women today, creating a contrast between past and present.

Dr Charu WaliKhanna, former member of the National Commission for Women (NCW), is a leading human rights lawyer who currently practices in the Supreme Court of India. She founded Social Action Forum for Manav Adhikar (SAFMA), an NGO with Special Consultative Status with the ECOSOC of the United Nations, which works towards advancing the cause of vulnerable and marginalized sections of society, especially women.