Spending her last days in a remote ashram, a tired and greying Sita can’t help but wonder, ‘What if...?’

What if she hadn’t married Rama? What if she hadn’t gone into exile with him? What if she hadn’t been kidnapped by Ravana, and waited patiently for Rama to rescue her, ever the dutiful wife? What if she hadn’t returned with him to Ayodhya, only to be later discarded to ‘preserve his honour’?

Until one day Sage Vishwamitra arrives and shows her who she might have been had she not met Rama – Bhumika, a queen who defies convention. Aditya Iyengar’s latest novel is an original tale of two enigmatic women, Sita and Bhumika, secure in their choices but not defined by them. Provocative, layered and moving, this is a narrative that will resonate with generations to come.