Sitayama: her side of the fire & Becoming Psychic

2 shows in 1 hour!

The Ramayana is a Sanskrit epic over two millennia old, which teaches core Hindu beliefs of duty, morality, and honor. But while Prince Rama’s heroic exile and return made him the “ideal man”, his wife Sita endured his trials alongside him, while being kidnapped, recovered, and ultimately exiled again by her own, her fidelity questioned despite her sacrifices. Sita is remembered as the ideal wife — her devotion proven through a literal trial by fire.

But what about the story of her resilience through loss? Sitayama reimagines her perspective through a concept concert, unpacking her emotional journey with original Indian Americana songs rooted in mythology. Beyond the epic, these songs explore Hindu tenets and ask: what does it mean to be a good woman and what do we lose when our traditional values outweigh our own humanity?

Payal is a Somerville-based musician of Indian descent who fuses Indian themes with Western folk and punk roots — a genre she calls Indian Americana. Sitayama is her personal inquiry through music: reconciling ancient narratives of gender and duty with her own present-day beliefs. You can find her on Instagram at @soundslikeapayal.