This graceful Tholu Bommalata artwork by Sindhe Siva depicts Sita, the central heroine of the Ramayana, avatar of Goddess Lakshmi, and divine consort of Rama, rendered through the traditional shadow puppetry of Andhra Pradesh in a form that embodies feminine grace and heroic resilience. As the emotional and moral heart around whom the epic’s ultimate struggle for righteousness revolves, Sita occupies a place of sacred reverence within the artform's traditional repertoire. Tholu Bommalata, the "dance of leather puppets" is a shadow theatre tradition of the Telugu-speaking Deccan with a history reaching back some two thousand years. Its performances are historically drawn from a Telugu version of the Ramayana compiled for the shadow stage, alongside episodes from the Mahabharata and Bhagavata Purana. Puppets are cut from goat, deer or buffalo hide, cleaned and treated over roughly two weeks until translucent, then hand-painted with natural dyes and finely perforated so that, held before a lit screen, each figure glows as a vivid, coloured shadow. Sita is depicted in profile with a warm, peach complexion, positioned in a stance reminiscent of classical Indian dance. Her face features an expressive almond-shaped eye, delicate lips and traditional nose rings. Her hair is swept back into a voluminous bun adorned with floral clusters, woven strands and a heavily jeweled headpiece. She wears a pink patterned blouse with fine white dotted detailing, paired with an intricately pleated saree in alternating bands of blue and yellow, bordered by multi-tiered red and gold patterns. Her waist is accented by an elaborate gold waist belt (oddiyanam) with dangling pendant tassels. Layered necklaces, wrist bangles and intricate anklets complete her adornment, while her right hand delicately gathers the hem of her saree in a gesture of elegance. As the divine presence that inspires the heroic quest of the Ramayana, this artwork captures Seeta with the serene dignity and luminous elegance her role demands. Sindhe Siva's rendering unites the full expressive range of the tradition, its soft natural tones, intricate lace-like perforations and refined classical aesthetic, to bring one of the epic's most revered figures to life.