This poignant lithographic postcard by Raja Ravi Varma captures a deeply emotional moment from the Ramayana: Sita’s captivity in the Ashok Vatika of Lanka, after her abduction by Ravana. Seated beneath a thick canopy of Ashoka trees, Sita is depicted in quiet dignity and sorrow, surrounded by demoness guards (rakshasis), yet emotionally and spiritually distant from them.
Ravi Varma’s sensitive portrayal shows Sita wrapped in a plain sari, her eyes closed in silent prayer or longing — a vision of strength, chastity, and resilience. The demonesses around her are expressive in posture and gesture, emphasizing the contrast between her purity and their crude attempts to break her spirit.
Through this composition, Ravi Varma emphasizes Sita’s inner strength, her refusal to yield, and her deep connection to Rama, even in exile. The earthy tones, naturalistic rendering of figures, and the expressive faces are hallmarks of Ravi Varma’s humanistic and narrative approach.
“Among shadows, she remained the light.” — A visual tribute to Sita’s unwavering virtue.
