Ganesha: Welcome everyone! Today we have a very special guest! Most of you may know her story, and some of you may not. That’s okay because today, we are going to hear her version of events. Please help me give a warm welcome to Sita!

Sita: Thank you, Ganesha. It really is an honor to be here. Thank you so much for having me.

Ganesha: Thank you for coming. I have to ask, what made you want to accept my invitation? Why now?

Sita: The answer is pretty simple; I want people to know my side of the story. All they hear is what they are told and if they are never told my side, how can I expect them to understand my decisions?

Ganesha: Very true. Well, I would like to go ahead and ask you the first question if that’s alright with you.

Sita: Sure, I’m ready.

Ganesha: Okay, let's start off simple. How did you know, initially, that you wanted to be with Rama?

Sita: I’m glad you asked this question because I really love answering it. I knew I wanted to be with him from the moment I met him. It’s cliché, I know. I don’t really know exactly what happened. It’s like, from the moment I met him I knew that we were supposed to be together. It was like love at first sight. Destiny, if you will.

Ganesha: How sweet! Is it safe to assume that he was a gentleman to begin with?

Sita: Oh of course! He was basically the poster boy of a gentleman.

Ganesha: I see. Okay, so what was it like to be by his side while he was exiled?

Sita: Oh. That was rough to say the least. Of course, while it was not the most ideal situation, I could not let him be alone. I knew it was probably already tough to be exiled, and on top of that he lost his father. Living out there was not what I was used to at all. I’m sure that’s probably laughable to most people.

Ganesha: Well, it’s understandable. When you live without a need not met, it can be hard to adjust to another lifestyle, especially in a short amount of time.

Sita: That is very true. I tried my best while we were out there. I tried not to complain, and maybe I wasn’t always the best at keeping a positive attitude, but I don’t think that I deserved what ultimately happened.

Ganesha: So, I’m going to skip around a bit. This might be a little tough to talk about, but I have to ask. What was going through your head when you were abducted?

Sita: Thank you, Ganesha. Yes, it is a bit hard to think about, but I’ll answer it anyway. I have to be honest; I was terrified. I didn’t know what was happening, or why even. All I knew was that I was in a strange place I had never seen before, and the person who abducted me could look like anything or anyone. I didn’t know what to trust.

Ganesha: That sounds awful. I imagine you felt relief when you were finally saved.

Sita: Initially, yes. I was so happy to finally be free from that monster. But, if you don’t mind, Ganesh, I want to continue further into my story.

Ganesha: Go right ahead.

Sita: When I was saved from the fire, I thought things would go back to normal. But that’s the opposite of what happened. I eventually told Rama that I was expecting, but for some reason he thought that the children weren’t his. I can understand why, but I thought I had proven myself when I followed him into exile. He was standoffish which made me feel so much worse. I didn’t know what to do. Eventually, when I had to raise the boys myself, I got better at doing things for myself and for them. I had gotten to a point where I didn’t need anyone else. I was so tired of proving myself. I was tired in general. Life handed me a losing hand and I didn’t want to play anymore. So, I decided I would prove myself one last time, but this time, I would win. I asked the Earth to help me, and when she did it was like all the stars aligned. Rama realized that I was honest and faithful the entire time, but I still left. I left because I knew if I stayed with him, he would always make me prove myself if something inconvenient happened. That’s not the life I wanted, and it isn’t a life anyone should have.

Ganesha: I agree. Unfortunately, that is all the time we have for today, but I want to give a big thanks to Sita for agreeing to be on the show! I know that I have a clearer head from learning about your experience. I think the audience does as well.

*Audience claps and cheers*

Ganesha: Okay, everyone. Make sure to stay safe, stay well, and be happy! We’ll see you next time with our next special guest!

*Author's Note: I was really excited to be writing this story. I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do, but as I began writing I realized that the best way to let anyone tell their story is to simply let them talk. I drew inspiration from the entire Ramayana story, because as you know, Sita’s events are sprawled all across it. I knew from the beginning that I wanted this story to focus on Sita’s feelings and thoughts, so it was simple to put them into words. I chose the way this story ended for a specific reason. Sita decided to jump into the Earth at the end and not stay with Rama. She had good reason, too. I thought it would be safe to infer that if I were to write it a little differently, she would choose to leave as well. I wanted her to be able to do well for herself. Maybe I’m a little behind, but I haven’t seen very many stories like that. I also thought it was important to give her a side where she was vulnerable. Of course, we have this portrayal of a strong woman who learns to be independent, but she can be open and vulnerable as well. That vulnerability doesn’t make her any less strong or independent. They are not mutually exclusive. I also chose Ganesh as the interviewer because he is the God of removing obstacles. I thought this was fitting as Sita needs to remove the obstacle of people not knowing her story to be understood.

The story I referenced for my story was The Ramayana PDE Version contributed to by many authors.