‘Do we mean anything?’ Tara questioned hopelessly. ‘Are our desires, our dreams relevant to the course of destiny at all?’ Tara. Vali’s wife; Sugriv’s queen; the woman behind Rama’s curse. A person of extraordinary intellect, foresight and determination, Tara is a master stateswoman, both before and after she marries Vali and is crowned the queen of Kishkindh. But her wisdom and stature cannot stand in the way of destiny. Tara finds herself caught in a battle of egos between the two brothers and reduced to the victor’s trophy. However, in this time of conflict, she resourcefully restores peace and prosperity in the kingdom she helped build, even if it means sacrificing everything. Kavita Kané, in her latest recounting of the Ramayana, narrates the tale of Tara’s truce—the compromises Tara made to fulfil her divinely ordained purpose, including marrying her husband’s killer.