Sita

And in the epic tale, the “Ramayana,” the hero Rama indulges in wine with his wife, Sita.

On Saturday, the authorities suspended a high-ranking forestry official who had overseen the animals for naming the lioness Sita, after a revered Hindu goddess, and her mate Akbar, after a medieval Muslim emperor.

This evocative watercolour drawn by the once-obscure and long-anonymous Indian artist Sita Ram, will feature in an exhibition of Iconic Masterpieces of Indian Modern Art, organised by DAG, in Delhi later this month.

Years later, Rama encounters Sita in the forest again and asks for her forgiveness.

For Hindus, it marks the beginning of the New Year, and is about the return of deities Rama and Sita after 14 years of exile.