The Forest of Enchantments | Book Review

The Forest of Enchantments: Sita’s Voice, Strength, and Silent Power

Back in school, the Ramayana was part of our curriculum. I was a teenager back then — more interested in the world around me than in mythological wars and grand kings. I remember reading about Ram’s valour, his victories, and the dharma he upheld. It was all noble and wise, but it didn’t really touch my heart. I studied it like any other subject, scored well, and moved on.

But even back then, one question quietly lingered in my mind — what about Sita? What was her journey like, as a woman, as a queen, and most importantly, as a person? She seemed to be everywhere in the story, and yet, we never really got to hear her. That thought never left me.

Years later, I found The Forest of Enchantments by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni. And this time, I didn’t just read it — I felt it.

---

About the Author- Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni has this rare gift — she writes not just with words, but with emotions. An Indian-American author known for weaving stories about women, mythology, and identity, she reimagines epics with a voice that feels both rooted and real. In The Forest of Enchantments, she retells the Ramayana from Sita’s perspective, giving her the space, dignity, and depth she always deserved.

---

About the Book

This isn’t just a retelling. It’s a reclaiming.

The Forest of Enchantments follows the same familiar storyline — the swayamvar, the exile, the abduction, the war, and the eventual homecoming. But this time, we see it all through Sita’s eyes. Her joys, her heartbreaks, her strength, her silence. She is not just Ram’s wife or Janak’s daughter here — she is her own woman.

What truly moved me was the tenderness in Sita’s voice — soft, but never weak. Her love for Ram, so pure and deep, coexists with the pain of his choices. Her bond with nature, her inner conflicts, and the quiet fury she hides behind her grace… it was all just so beautifully layered.

---

How Girls Resonate With Her Story

As I read, I couldn’t help but see pieces of myself — and every girl I know — in Sita.

Haven’t we all at some point loved someone so much that we forgot ourselves a little? Haven’t we tried to be the "good daughter", "dutiful wife", or "ideal woman" — roles that society quietly hands us? Sita’s journey isn’t just about palaces and forests; it’s about choices we make, the voices we silence, and the strength we often don’t realise we carry.

She questions, she endures, and she still loves — fiercely, honestly, and unapologetically. And that’s what makes her unforgettable.

---

My Two Cents

I finished the entire book in four days. And every time I kept it down, I had tears in my eyes. Not because of the pain Sita endured — but because of the power she held within her. Her silence screamed. Her gentleness challenged the world. She didn’t need swords or armies — her endurance was her strength.

Reading this book felt like sitting with a dear friend who’s quietly pouring her heart out. Sita didn’t come to me as a goddess in this book. She came to me as a woman — in love, in conflict, and in deep self-awareness.

It left me humbled, emotional, and strangely empowered. If you’ve ever wondered about Sita — beyond the pages of the epics, beyond the idealised image — The Forest of Enchantments is a book you must read.

And maybe, like me, you’ll find a bit of yourself in her too.