Uttara Kanda is the last book of Ramayana. It depicts Ram’s reign of Ayodhya, birth of Luv and Kush, the Ashvamedha yajna and last days of Rama. At the expiration of his term of exile, Rama returns to Ayodhya with Sita, Lakshmana and Hanuman, where the coronation is performed. On being asked to prove his devotion to Rama, Hanuman tears his chest open and to everyone’s surprise, there is an image of Rama and Sita inside his chest. Rama rules Ayodhya and the reign is called ‘Ram-rajya’ (a place where the common folk are happy, fulfilled and satisfied). But as time passes, spies start getting rumours that people are questioning Sita’s purity as she stayed in the home of another man for a year without her husband. The common folk start gossiping about Sita and question Ram’s decision to make her Queen. Rama is extremely distraught on hearing the news, but finally tells Lakshmana that Purity of the Queen of Ayodhya has to be above any gossip and rumour. Take Sita to a forest outside Ayodhya and leave her there. Also tell her not to identify herself as the Queen of Ayodhya as that would be an insult to our forefathers. Lakshmana reluctantly drops Sita in a forest for another exile.
