What is the name of the golden deer that lured Sita?

The golden deer that lured Sita was Maricha. In the Ramayana, Maricha was a rakshasa allied with Ravana who took the form of a dazzling deer to help abduct her.

Ravana ordered Maricha to appear near Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana’s forest hermitage at Panchavati. Sita was captivated by the deer’s extraordinary golden appearance and asked Rama to capture it, either alive as a pet or dead for its beautiful hide. Lakshmana suspected that the creature was an illusion.

Rama pursued the deer deep into the forest and finally shot it. As he died and returned to his rakshasa form, Maricha imitated Rama’s voice and cried out for Sita and Lakshmana. Sita urged Lakshmana to investigate, leaving her unguarded when Ravana arrived disguised as a mendicant.

Maricha is sometimes confused with Khara, Dushana, or Subahu, who are other rakshasas in the story. He is also spelled Mareecha or Marica in English transliterations.