Week 6 Story: Rama and Sita Interview Part 2
This is part 2 of an interview. Read Part 1 here.
Interviewer: If it’s okay for me to ask, what happened to you after Ravana imprisoned you? Did the experience break you?
*Sita shifts in her seat but puts on a feeble smile on her face*
Sita: He kept me imprisoned for the longest time and would taunt me about Rama in efforts to make me his next wife. Although there were times where it seemed hopeless, I knew that Rama truly loved me and would come back for me. And I was right. He did, but it didn’t seem right after he came back…
*Rama gives a frustrated sigh*
Rama: I’ll never forgive myself for the way I treated her after all of those years. I was foolish, hurt, and insecure. I followed what others wanted me to do, rather than my heart.
Interviewer: What did you do to Sita and why do you regret it?
Rama: Maybe you should take this question first, Sita. I think this story means more coming from you.
Sita: Well, Rama had me walk through a fire to prove my purity since I had been gazed upon with lust by another man in his house. I wasn’t burned, proving my fidelity.
Rama: And it shouldn’t have ended there, but it was only the first of my many mistakes.
*Rama looks at Sita with shame and regret*
*Sita looks back at Rama with misty eyes, but with forgiveness*
Sita: It’s okay, my love. I forgive you. We worked on these problems for many years and we came back stronger than ever.
Interviewer: You say this was the first of many mistakes, Rama. What other mistakes did you make?
Rama: Well, things were tense for a while, but Sita and I were together again. I became king, but then Sita became pregnant. I was shocked and betrayed. And in the face of my people, it seemed unjust to forgive a wife who fell pregnant after being with another man for a long time. I didn’t want to appear weak or superior to my people, so… I banished her. I abandoned her in her time of need, especially after she experienced such a traumatic experience, because I was too blinded by my own problems.
*Rama shifts uncomfortably*
Sita: I was overjoyed to see him again. But he asked me to prove my purity again and that was the breaking point. I chose him each time, despite his faults, but he didn’t trust me. So I made the bold choice to choose myself. I chose to return myself to the Earth.
Rama: And that’s when it truly clicked for me. I was going to lose my wife again because of my fear and mistrust, even though she had only shown me faith and patience. So I grabbed her before she was swallowed whole by the Earth. I hugged her close and promised her that I would change to be the husband that she deserved.
*Sita looks at him tearfully, smiling at him*
Sita: I don’t know what would’ve happened if you let me go again. But at that moment, I needed to stand up for myself too. It was a moment of empowerment for me. It was like I was finally freed from the expectations you put on me. I was overjoyed when you realized how much I was worth to you and just how much I sacrificed for our love. It was like that you finally saw me for who I was and you finally understood what tore us apart and what it would take to bring us back together.
Rama: We spent many years working on our communication and trust. I had to learn how to let go of my insecurities and trust my wife. We learned how to love each other again and I was incredibly lucky that Sita decided to forgive me. We’ve had our ups and downs, but we’re truly good now. We don’t take each other for granted and it’s a give and take on both sides now.
*Sita gazes at Rama adoringly and squeezes his hand*
Sita: Yes, I’m thankful every day that we gave our relationship another fighting chance because there is so much love in my life now. It’s like the hole he left in my heart when he banished me is finally filled again.
Interviewer: Is there any last words you want to say to Sita, Rama?
*Rama turns to Sita*
Rama: I am so sorry for all of the pain that I have caused you. What I have done is unforgivable and
Interviewer: What a touching story. What is a lesson about love that you want the readers to know?
Rama: Trust your partner and don’t take him or her for granted. Love alone isn’t enough; you need to nurture it with your partner.
Interviewer: Thank you so much for these wise words.
Sita: Thank you for having us and allowing us to share our story.
Sources:
Sita Sings the Blues .Nina Paley (2008)
The Divine Archer by FJ Gould (1911)
Interviewer: If it’s okay for me to ask, what happened to you after Ravana imprisoned you? Did the experience break you?
*Sita shifts in her seat but puts on a feeble smile on her face*
Sita: He kept me imprisoned for the longest time and would taunt me about Rama in efforts to make me his next wife. Although there were times where it seemed hopeless, I knew that Rama truly loved me and would come back for me. And I was right. He did, but it didn’t seem right after he came back…
*Rama gives a frustrated sigh*
Rama: I’ll never forgive myself for the way I treated her after all of those years. I was foolish, hurt, and insecure. I followed what others wanted me to do, rather than my heart.
Interviewer: What did you do to Sita and why do you regret it?
Rama: Maybe you should take this question first, Sita. I think this story means more coming from you.
Sita: Well, Rama had me walk through a fire to prove my purity since I had been gazed upon with lust by another man in his house. I wasn’t burned, proving my fidelity.
Rama: And it shouldn’t have ended there, but it was only the first of my many mistakes.
*Rama looks at Sita with shame and regret*
*Sita looks back at Rama with misty eyes, but with forgiveness*
Sita: It’s okay, my love. I forgive you. We worked on these problems for many years and we came back stronger than ever.
Interviewer: You say this was the first of many mistakes, Rama. What other mistakes did you make?
Rama: Well, things were tense for a while, but Sita and I were together again. I became king, but then Sita became pregnant. I was shocked and betrayed. And in the face of my people, it seemed unjust to forgive a wife who fell pregnant after being with another man for a long time. I didn’t want to appear weak or superior to my people, so… I banished her. I abandoned her in her time of need, especially after she experienced such a traumatic experience, because I was too blinded by my own problems.
*Rama shifts uncomfortably*
Interviewer: And how did Rama's actions make you feel, Sita? Were you angry?
Sita: I was definitely angry and distraught after he banished me. It seemed like the world was playing a trick on me. Rama was banished by his father too, but I was the faithful wife that supported him throughout his time of need. Yet, when the tables turned, he abandoned me. I was betrayed.
Rama: Looking back, it was one of the poorest decisions I made in my life. She raised my 2 sons without me for years because I turned my back on her. I made a promise to love her unconditionally, but I didn’t.
Interviewer: What changed and how did you come back to this point?
Rama: It was many years before I saw Sita again. However, one day, I heard my 2 sons reciting hymns of adoration for me and it struck me that I missed out on years of love with Sita based on the opinions of others. Her opinion mattered more.
Interviewer: Sita, how was the experience for you to see Rama again after so many years?
Sita: I was definitely angry and distraught after he banished me. It seemed like the world was playing a trick on me. Rama was banished by his father too, but I was the faithful wife that supported him throughout his time of need. Yet, when the tables turned, he abandoned me. I was betrayed.
Rama: Looking back, it was one of the poorest decisions I made in my life. She raised my 2 sons without me for years because I turned my back on her. I made a promise to love her unconditionally, but I didn’t.
Interviewer: What changed and how did you come back to this point?
Rama: It was many years before I saw Sita again. However, one day, I heard my 2 sons reciting hymns of adoration for me and it struck me that I missed out on years of love with Sita based on the opinions of others. Her opinion mattered more.
Interviewer: Sita, how was the experience for you to see Rama again after so many years?
Sita: I was overjoyed to see him again. But he asked me to prove my purity again and that was the breaking point. I chose him each time, despite his faults, but he didn’t trust me. So I made the bold choice to choose myself. I chose to return myself to the Earth.
Rama: And that’s when it truly clicked for me. I was going to lose my wife again because of my fear and mistrust, even though she had only shown me faith and patience. So I grabbed her before she was swallowed whole by the Earth. I hugged her close and promised her that I would change to be the husband that she deserved.
*Sita looks at him tearfully, smiling at him*
Sita: I don’t know what would’ve happened if you let me go again. But at that moment, I needed to stand up for myself too. It was a moment of empowerment for me. It was like I was finally freed from the expectations you put on me. I was overjoyed when you realized how much I was worth to you and just how much I sacrificed for our love. It was like that you finally saw me for who I was and you finally understood what tore us apart and what it would take to bring us back together.
Rama: We spent many years working on our communication and trust. I had to learn how to let go of my insecurities and trust my wife. We learned how to love each other again and I was incredibly lucky that Sita decided to forgive me. We’ve had our ups and downs, but we’re truly good now. We don’t take each other for granted and it’s a give and take on both sides now.
*Sita gazes at Rama adoringly and squeezes his hand*
Sita: Yes, I’m thankful every day that we gave our relationship another fighting chance because there is so much love in my life now. It’s like the hole he left in my heart when he banished me is finally filled again.
Interviewer: Is there any last words you want to say to Sita, Rama?
*Rama turns to Sita*
Rama: I am so sorry for all of the pain that I have caused you. What I have done is unforgivable and
Interviewer: What a touching story. What is a lesson about love that you want the readers to know?
Rama: Trust your partner and don’t take him or her for granted. Love alone isn’t enough; you need to nurture it with your partner.
Interviewer: Thank you so much for these wise words.
Sita: Thank you for having us and allowing us to share our story.
Rama and Sita in Exile
Source: Flickr
Author's Note: The second half of the story focuses on the tension between Rama and Sita when he banishes her and how they slowly came back together. I changed the ending a little bit to show a more optimistic view of love and how people can come back together if they're willing to take themselves or their partner off of a pedestal. I also think my ending shows how people can make mistakes but they can be worthy of redemption if they're willing to face their flaws and try to fix them.
Sources:
The Divine Archer by FJ Gould (1911)
Hello Kim,
ReplyDeleteI had to go back and read the first part before reading this one because I hadn't read it yet. Anyway your story is the first one I've seen in a screenplay style. It's also really creative that you made it an interview so it felt like I was watching one of those talk shows with well known people on it. You did a really good job though there was one metaphor used that I feel Rama and Sita shouldn't know (electric wire) thought that was in part 1.
Hi again Kim! I absolutely love how you have created your story in the form of an interview! Personally, I love watching famous peoples' interviews on YouTube and reading your story made me feel like I was listening to one of those interview. I think this makes your story very unique as it stands out and is memorable. Keep up the good work!
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