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When Sita was abducted by Ravana, it was criticised not only as violence against a woman, but also as stealing of one man’s property by another. When Sri Rama waged a war to get Sita back,
it was not only as a husband, but also as a Raghu Kula King for winning back the clan honour lost due to abduction. Even after the slaying of Ravana, Sita’s ordeal did not end. Her personal
assurances of her purity were of no avail. She had to undergo agnipariksha—a trial by fire. The argument given is that though Sri Rama never doubted her purity, he wanted it to be
demonstrated before the three worlds. Not everybody was convinced, though. Words spoken by an intemperate washerman during a dispute with his wife led Sri Rama to exile Sita to a forest to
avoid any blemish on his kingship. The societal pressure was felt by Sita too. In some regional versions of Ramayana, Sita once sees Sri Rama pass through the forest, but does not speak out,
her silence indicating her bowing to the societal norms. Rama, the king, fulfilled his duty towards his subjects, while Rama, the husband, suffered in silence for failing in duty towards
his wife. In a society that denies equality to women, even a perfect man cannot be a perfect husband.
