Kamban moves very swiftly in this particular scene. This very same incident is just sixteen verses long in Kamba Ramayanam. He opens the scene in a similar manner, as does Valmiki, showing the shock and distress of Sita, on seeing Rama. But it is not because his countenance was not the 'resplendent moon' it used to be. Kamban's Rama remains calm throughout, not only in the presence of Kaikeyi; not only in the presence of Kausalya; not only in the presence of the rest of every other citizen of the country, but also in the presence of his beloved Sita. He remained as calm as ever and his face was the very same 'lotus in bloom' as it used to be always.
'meith thirup padham mEvu endra pOdhilum,' Sita would reminisce later in the Sundara Kanda, in the isolation that she is subjected to in the Asoka Vana, recollecting this moment 'ith thiruth thurandhu Egu endra pOdhilum,' When he was asked to accept the office of Prince Regent and later when he was asked to give it up and go on exile, 'chithiraththu alarandha sen thaamarayai oththirukkum mugaththai unnuvaaL' his face remained as unchanging, fresh and unwithered as remains the lotus in bloom, painted on a canvas. He was as unaffected and unchanging as the picture of a full-blown lotus painted on the canvas.
That is an important change in the personality of Rama that Kamban is making. What then could be the reason for the distress displayed by Sita! She is pained, rendered speechless to see people accompanying Rama were lustreless and were in tears. The emotion that is displayed by Rama in the presence of Sita in Valmiki is shifted to the persons accompanying him. 'azhudhu thaayarodu arum thavar, andhaNar, arasar' Distressed and tearful mothers (Kausalya and Sumitra), sages, Brahmins and kings 'puzhudhi aadiya meyyinar pudai vandhu poruma,' who were smeared with dust (obviously because they rolled on the ground, wailing, unable to bear the sudden turn of events, and the calm manner in which Rama encounters this situation intensifying their agony) surrounded him, weeping bitterly and choked in grief.
Now that doesn't sound very good or befit the occasion that is only a few hours away! Why would they follow him with wails and bitter cries when he is supposed to assume office in a very short time! What's wrong with them! Sita now notices the difference. Yes. There is a difference in the appearance of Rama. But no. Not in his countenance. That remains as sweet as ever. The difference is in his appearance, in the apparel that he is wearing. He is not clad in the royal robes! And hey! What's this! 'pazhudhu seerayin
udayinan,' Rama was clad in the tree-bark worn by the hermits! 'varumbadi paara,' seeing him thus, 'ezhudhu paavai annaaL, manath thuNukkamodu ezhundhaaL' the comely Sita was taken aback.
The wearing of hermit's weeds by Rama is a later scene in Valmiki. Kamban has rearranged the order of events in such a way that Kaikeyi promptly sends him the robe of tree-bark no sooner than he reaches the chamber of Sumitra, pacifying Lakshmana, to seek her permission first to go on exile - even before he seeks that of Kausalya. When Rama moves over to the palace of Kausalya, he is already in the hermit's weeds. This rearrangement intensifies the cruelty of Kaikeyi, while achieving the purpose of showing Sita shocked and taken aback, and while not necessitating a change of mood in
Rama.
Kamban moves very swiftly in this particular scene. This very same incident is just sixteen verses long in Kamba Ramayanam. He opens the scene in a similar manner, as does Valmiki, showing the shock and distress of Sita, on seeing Rama. But it is not because his countenance was not the 'resplendent moon' it used to be. Kamban's Rama remains calm throughout, not only in the presence of Kaikeyi; not only in the presence of Kausalya; not only in the presence of the rest of every other citizen of the country, but also in the presence of his beloved Sita. He remained as calm as ever and his face was the very same 'lotus in bloom' as it used to be always. 
That is an important change in the personality of Rama that Kamban is making. What then could be the reason for the distress displayed by Sita! She is pained, rendered speechless to see people accompanying Rama were lustreless and were in tears. The emotion that is displayed by Rama in the presence of Sita in Valmiki is shifted to the persons accompanying him. 'azhudhu thaayarodu arum thavar, andhaNar, arasar' Distressed and tearful mothers (Kausalya and Sumitra), sages, Brahmins and kings 'puzhudhi aadiya meyyinar pudai vandhu poruma,' who were smeared with dust (obviously because they rolled on the ground, wailing, unable to bear the sudden turn of events, and the calm manner in which Rama encounters this situation intensifying their agony) surrounded him, weeping bitterly and choked in grief. 
The wearing of hermit's weeds by Rama is a later scene in Valmiki. Kamban has rearranged the order of events in such a way that Kaikeyi promptly sends him the robe of tree-bark no sooner than he reaches the chamber of Sumitra, pacifying Lakshmana, to seek her permission first to go on exile - even before he seeks that of Kausalya. When Rama moves over to the palace of Kausalya, he is already in the hermit's weeds. This rearrangement intensifies the cruelty of Kaikeyi, while achieving the purpose of showing Sita shocked and taken aback, and while not necessitating a change of mood in
Rama.
