Book excerpt: Reading The Untold Story of Seeta a journey through fields, palaces and forests, is like traversing the journey of Seetas life, the wife of Ram, the legendary king of Kosala. Although the story follows the chronology of events in the famous epic the Ramayana, it is not a retelling of the Ramayana. Neeraja Phatak brings Seeta to life as she - Seeta tells her own story and of her love for Ram. Nagging questions around Seetas personality are viewed from a fresh perspective. Was Seetas greatest quality her ability to suffer in silence? Is it possible that the daughter of the great Janak, and a pupil of the great sage Gargi, had no opinion of her own? How could Ram, considered the best among men, have permitted his wife to go through a trial by fire? Or has Seeta been smothered under a veil of convenience? Nuggets of philosophy woven into every day conversations compel the reader to go within and ponder. For example, when Neeraja writes, Ram said, Happiness is a state of mind, it is subjective, and differs from person to person and is relative to a context... This riveting novel holds the readers attention and curiosity till the very end.