Book Review: The Forest of Enchantments
Title: The Forest of Enchantments
Author: Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
Year of Publication: 2019
Publisher: HarperCollins
Back in 2020, after I finished reading A Palace of Illusions by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, I was enthralled by the voice of Draupadi and how she forged her identity in a male-dominated world of gods and men. It is indeed a feat to bring women of the epics to the foreground, to search for the ways they would have wanted their stories to be told. Furthering my fascination with such characters, I decided to read The Forest of Enchantments by the same author, which revolves around Ramayana through the lens of Sita. Feminism being at core of this book, the story explores not just Sita’s role in the tale, but also of characters such as Kaikeyi, Urmila and Mandodari. Though Kaikeyi is perceived as an evil queen, Divakaruni’s description of her makes you view her in a different, positive light; a brave and intelligent queen, she is also said to have possessed a sense of humour. I was awed by the character for her charisma.
Speaking of evils, even Ravan’s humane side finds a place in the story. His endless love and loyalty for Mandodari, his sincere devotion for Shiva and his popularity amongst his people shed light on his role as a benevolent ruler.
As for Urmila, often marginalized in the epic, has her own courageous story to tell; left behind by an indifferent husband and a helpless sister, she loses hope. Yet, she still manages to play her part as the devoted wife during the entirety of fourteen years.
A catch in the story is that Sita keeps on reiterating a claim over her husband, almost not allowing any space for him as an individual. The usage of the phrase “allowed him to have his own special time with his brother…” reflects that Ram is left without a scope for his own will i.e either he is Sita’s husband or Lakshman’s brother.
As the title suggests, forests played a pivotal role in the story. Sita’s fascination for plants and trees, the freedom and joys of a simple life amidst the wilderness, brings to fore the forest’s significance for her character. At the same time, the forest also stood as witness to her many troubles and distress. Previously looked upon as barbaric, many groups of the forests eventually find assimilation into the mainstream society and no longer are they stigmatised as “uncivilized”.
Lastly, lessons or reflections on love and its many complexities, its manifestations, are what makes Ramayana, or in this case Sitayan, a unique tale of love. The moral of the tale isn’t just triumph of good over evil, it’s the celebration of unconditional love and how true love can heal even the deepest of scars.
