Trijata (Sanskrit: त्रिजटा, IAST: Trijaṭā) is a rakshasi (demoness) in the Hindu epic Ramayana who is assigned the duty of guarding Sita who was kidnapped by the demon-king of Lanka Ravana.

Barring a few exceptions where Trijata is cast as Ravana's agent, she is generally portrayed as a friend and loyal companion of Sita in her adversity.

[2] In the original Ramayana by Valmiki, Trijata is described as an aged rakshasi (demoness) who is prominently featured in two incidents.

The aged Trijata intervenes and narrates a prophetic dream that predicts Ravana's doom and Rama's victory.

[3] In her dream, Trijata sees Rama and his brother Lakshmana riding the celestial elephant Airavata toward Sita.

Ravana's brother Vibishana is seen in regal white garments, riding a four tusked elephant near the Pushpaka Vimana.

[5] The Jain version, the Vasudevahindi of Samghadasa Gani, says Trijata is a sister of Ravana, Vibhishana, Kumbhakarna, and Shurpanakha.

Trijata again saves Sita's life when a vengeful Ravana rushes to slay his captive after his son Indrajit is killed in the war.

In the Ramayana, Suparshva – a minister of Ravana – stops him, while other adaptations attribute the act variously to Avindhya or Mandodari.

[13] The Kakawin Ramayana also narrates that, when Sita sees the illusory severed heads of Rama and Lakshmana, she prepares a pyre.

The Balaramadasa Ramayana describes Trijata assuaging Sita's grief when they hear that Indrajit has wounded Rama and Lakshmana a second time.

The Ananda Ramayana narrates that, upon hearing Lakshmana's conch sound, Sita urges Trijata to find out what has happened.

[15] The Kakawin Ramayana says that, when Sita is tormented by her 300 rakshasi guards, only Trijata comes to her rescue and offers her solace, keeping her company and playing games with her.

To trick Sita, Ravana visits her with two heads and proclaims that they belong to Rama and Lakshmana, but Trijata stops him and asks him to return the next day.

She presents the heads to Sita, who decides to commit suicide, but Trijata asks her to wait until she can verify the truth.

Trijata is recused of her duties and Sita is transferred to an iron castle, guarded by an army commanded by one of Ravana's ministers.

[17] While Trijata is generally portrayed in a positive light, the early Jain versions of the Ramayana either ignore her or demonise her as an agent of Ravana.

[14] The Kakawin Ramayana mentions how Trijata is honoured with rich gifts by Sita at Ayodhya as her loyal companion and solace, and the one who saved her life twice.

Trijata and Lankasundari are called from Lanka to attest to Sita's chastity and both of them suggest an ordeal to convince the world of her purity.

Hanuman then marries Trijata (Benchakai); their union results in the birth of a son, Asurapada, a demon with a monkey head.

In the Malay version, after the great war, Vibhishana requests that Hanuman wed his daughter Trijata (Seri Jati).

Camille Bulcke, an expert on the literature of Rama, summarises Trijata's character: For more than twenty centuries the poets, who retold the Rāma-story, have dealt lovingly on Trijatā's friendship for Sītā.

Women - who worship at her shrine for seven consecutive Wednesdays - are believed to be blessed with progeny and with the goddess' protective glaze on their family.

It is believed that the goddess will fulfill the wishes of all who worship at her shrine, after paying obeisance at Kashi Vishwanath Temple on Kartik Poornima.

Local lore holds that Rama granted a boon to Trijata: those who do not bathe in her honour after observing the vrata will lose all merit (punya) – gained from the fast – to her.

[24] In the Telugu Sita Puranamu, Ramaswami Chaudari portrays Trijata as the daughter of the Dravidian Vibhishana and the Aryan Gandharva Sarama.