In this poignant and lyrical painting, Rounak Rai illustrates a crucial emotional moment from the Ramayana—the departure of Ram, Sita, and Lakshman into the forest for their 14-year exile. Titled Ram Sita, the work is infused with emotion, symbolism, and narrative depth, rendered in Rai’s signature folk-modern visual language.
At the center-left, Ram and Lakshman walk shoulder to shoulder, clothed in red and white garments, their expressions calm yet filled with quiet sorrow. Their poised posture reflects dharma-bound acceptance of fate. Behind them rises the setting sun over a distant mountain and calm river—a poetic symbol of leaving behind the royal life and entering the unknown wilderness.
On the right side, Sita is caught in a final moment with the women of the palace—likely her attendants or relatives. Her raised arm gripping a branch reflects both farewell and strength. She stands in vibrant red, a powerful color denoting devotion, sacrifice, and love.
The backdrop of layered green foliage and a still boat on the water suggest the transition from the known world into a space of spiritual testing and transformation.
The inscription in Hindi sets the scene:
“Sita ne Ram ka haath thaama, Ram ne Sita ka. Dukhon se bhare apne man se rajya tyaag diya aur praarambh hua ek amar prem katha ka.”
(Sita held Ram’s hand, Ram held hers. With hearts heavy with sorrow, they left the palace, and thus began an eternal love story.)
Rounak Rai captures not just the narrative of exile, but the depth of human connection, duty, and grace under loss. This painting is a gentle ode to love, loyalty, and the start of a spiritual journey that would shape an epic.
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