Two Faces of Sita

After Rahvana has been defeated, Rama the King of Ayodya is finally being together again with his sacred wife, Sita. But her holiness is questionable, since two version of Ramayana Saga, In Java and India, bring different face of Sita. But more than that, it is about contextually cultural approach toward the value of loyalty.

Sita is the central character in Ramayana. Plot of that tremendous and famous epic saga is driven by Rama’s endeavor for searching and be united again with Sita after she is separated with him because of her kidnapping by Rahvana, giant king of Alengka. That heroic story is ended with the almost same story. Rama and Sita meet in Alengka after the long strive and Rahvana with his armies are conquered and murdered. All the good thing is happily ending and the evil is razed to the ground. Or maybe not that easy, because after their meeting, there is big question in Rama and his people’s reasoning, about the Sita’s holiness. Is Sita really keeping her loyalty to her husband and avoid any proximity, physical, emotional and moreover spiritual touch with Rahvana?

Javanese version of Ramayana was widespread in Indonesia in since Hindu came to this archipelago country. Its most eminent written version is on Pupuh Kekawin Ramayana, an intensely long poem and song that was composed around 870 AD. In that version, after the battle Sita and Rama is being united again. But the story is not ending there. Rama and his people questioning Sita’s loyalty to her husband. To prove his faithfulness Sita throws herself into fire. The fire as purgatory, if she completely honest, fire will not be burning her, but if she is not, she will be burnt. The anxiety outspread among Ayodya’s people, but after some times, Sita is walking out of the fire, safe and sound. But the problem is that Kakawin Ramayana was not written based on Valmiki’s Ramayana, it is closer to Ravanavadha by Bhattikavya that was written 6^th or 7^th century in India.

The oldest Indian version of Ramayana itself was written by Valmiki around 400 BC. In that last part of that book, called as Uttarakanda, told that after the battle Rama and his people also questioning Sita’s trustiness. But there is no fire action, Rama is presented put his belief more to his people than his wife. Eventually, Rama is disposing Sita to the forest. In that forest Sita helped by Valmiki to give birth to her twin son Kusa and Lava. Ayodya’s people is confirmed to be right. Strangely even Kakawin Ramayana is more popular, but relief is Prambanan Temple in Yogyakarta, that also known as Ramayana Temple, is writing in this Indian Version.

Why is there any difference? Many discussion can be done to solve this question. But the nearest probability is because of contextually cultural approach. It means that every place has its culture and each culture has different way to address to the any phenomena. It shows that the newer version of Ramayana, that is followed by Javanese people tend to give more honor in harmony and ideal value of loyalty. It is different than the older version, it is emphasize more in how to deal with any reality, even something is ending in wrong condition, but it doesn’t mean that it is bad. They honor more to acceptance toward any possibilities in life and embrace it gracefully. That why karma and dharma become the main theme in Indian spirituality, while in Java harmony and togetherness is higher valued. It shows how life is has its wide range of color.

There are two face of Sita in two version of Ramayana saga. It doesn’t mean that one is better or truer than the other. It means that for each it has its own meaning, but above all is life.