She sank onto the sofa, switching on the TV as was her routine after a tiring day of chores. Her daily routine revolved around cleaning the house, bathing her children, preparing breakfast for her husband and children, and attending to her sick mother-in-law who hadn't been out of bed for the past six months. This added to responsibilities that she was already overburdened with. By the time she finished these tasks, fatigue would overwhelm her, and she would switch on the TV with the intention of briefly entertaining herself, only to drift off to sleep.
Her sleep today, however, vanished as soon as she turned on the TV. A local channel was airing the movie "Ramayana." Being from a Muslim family, she was unfamiliar with Hindu mythology and the stories intertwined with it. She had always wanted to learn more about Hindu culture, given her numerous Hindu friends in college. These friends often spoke of Ramayana, recounting the tale of Lord Rama's unwavering devotion to his only wife, Sita. However, they had never elaborated on the specifics of the story, leaving her curious and eager to learn more about Lord Rama.
Any Ramayana books she procured were burned by her mother-in-law, who insisted that acquainting oneself with Hinduism's stories was a disgrace to their own religion.
One day, she secretly visited a Ram temple, hoping to gain a deeper understanding of Rama. But her efforts were futile, as all she encountered was people engaging in prayers and rituals. Her covert visit didn't remain a secret for long.
"Why did you visit a Hindu temple?" her mother-in-law bellowed. "I warned my son not to marry an educated girl, but he didn't listen. And he never listens. Look at her now, tarnishing our family's name. No one in our family has ever entered a Hindu temple. This girl is ruining our reputation," her mother-in-law raged.
"That's enough. This is your final warning. If I catch you attempting to learn about Hindu traditions again, I'll burn you like those books," her husband cautioned, his eyes ablaze with anger and his expression full of scorn.
As she watched the movie that day, she recognized it as a golden opportunity to learn about Rama. Positioning herself on the sofa, she lowered the TV volume slightly, enough to hear but not enough to attract her mother-in-law's attention. She knew her mother-in-law would not rise from her bed. The movie depicted how Rama captured Sita's heart, how Queen Kaikeyi's desire for her son Bharat to become king led to Dasharatha's dilemma, and how Rama eventually agreed to go into exile, accompanied by Sita and Lakshmana.
"If I were in her place, I would have done the same," she mumbled. "Rama is a true husband; he embodies fidelity. Sita, being his wife, is dutifully bound to stand by him through thick and thin," she affirmed to herself.
The movie continued, narrating the challenges Rama and Sita faced during their time in exile, Rama's distress when Sita was abducted by Ravana, the portrayal of Ravana's malevolence, and the eventual epic battle between Rama and Ravana, culminating in Rama's triumph. She remained glued to the TV screen, unable to take her eyes off the unfolding story. Completely absorbed, she even forgot to lock the main door, which had been left open since her husband left for work that morning.
The movie progressed to depict Rama and Sita's journey back to Ayodhya and Rama's triumphant coronation. She was particularly struck by a scene showing Rama in a state of anger, an aspect she hadn't anticipated. She had always believed Rama to be a symbol of peace and fidelity. Even her Hindu friends had never mentioned Rama's anger. Her curiosity was piqued, and she longed to understand why the movie portrayed Rama in this light.
In the movie, Rama confronted Sita with a demand to prove her purity.
What nonsense? How can she prove her purity? Is this really Rama? Or has a demon taken on Rama's guise? What has happened to him? Where is his devotion and obedience? Why is he asking her to prove her purity? Why now? she wondered.
Rama was depicted as being furious, his face reddening, and his eyes blazing like fire. "I heard a fellow citizen suggest that you may not be pure. After being separated from me for a year, I too harbour doubts about your chastity. I need you to prove yourself. Walk through the fire of yajña unscathed and establish your purity," ordered Rama.
Stunned by his words, she found it difficult to comprehend. How could Rama utter such demands? How could Sita walk through fire and emerge unscathed? Had Rama lost his mind? Why had no one ever informed her of this before? Was this the same Rama she had admired? Or was the movie distorting his character to tarnish his name? Her thoughts raced until she finally became aware of someone standing behind her.
It was her husband, who had entered through the unlocked door and noticed her engrossed in watching "Ramayana." Observing his face, she saw that he was seething with anger, his eyes ablaze much like Rama's had been in the movie.
"If I catch you trying to learn about Hindu traditions again, I'll burn you without hesitation," she recalled his earlier warning.
As she pondered this, the scene on TV continued, portraying Sita preparing for the test of fire.
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