Burning Brides

1. Burning Brides • If the groom’s family is not happy with the amount of the dowry, they sometimes abuse and harass the bride to make her miserable. • Sometimes the abuse escalates to the point that women are burned. This is often reported to government officials as a ‘kitchen accident’ because it is illegal. It is estimated that as many as 4000 women are burned each year even though it is illegal. • Widows are also sometimes burned because they are a burden to society.

2. Widows *The Hindu religion strongly discourages remarriage. *If a woman’s husband dies, she loses her identity. *Widows are discriminated against and neglected. Many are forced to beg for food.

3. Widowed • This is a true story of Bai who was born in 1925. • Bai was only 5 years old when she was married off to a man 36 years old. The young child’s shoulders drooped under the weight of her bridal garland. She was sold for a dowry of $6.55. Her husband died 4 years later, Leaving Bai a 9 year old widow. • Bai is now 85 years old she hobbles around the city of Vrindavan, begging for food and awaiting her death. • Vrindavan and Varanasi are holy cities in the north of India that have become home to the husbandless widows.