Priceless, not worthless

The sun was about to rise. But the view from the kitchen window wasn't on her mind.

Her in-laws were wealthier than her parents, yet they wanted more from her parents. She had a younger sister. If they succumbed to their demands, her parents wouldn't have money for her sister's marriage. The milk boiled. But if her husband divorced her, that too will be a stigma for her parents. Deep in her dilemma, as she hurriedly switched off the stove, her fingers brushed against the hot vessel.

Even before the pain could be vented through a scream, she felt the chill of the splashed kerosene.
Even before she could think another thought, she was set on fire for the dowry she hadn't brought.

Minutes later, the first rays of the sun caressed the face of the twenty year old, charred beyond recognition.

TWENTY THREE YEARS LATER...
Her mother heard the court verdict. Tears rolled down her face when the court delivered the verdict of guilty against her daughter's husband and in-laws. An hour later, after talking to the media and thanking her supporters, she was on the bus to visit the office of the NGO which had helped her.

She had lost her daughter to dowry and her family in her fight against dowry. The solution according to her husband was to try and give more dowry to the other daughter, not to spend money getting justice for the dead daughter. At that juncture, the in-laws had proposed her younger daughter's marriage to their son (with nominal dowry), if she were to withdraw the case. She refused and lost her family.

She had no illusions about the system. It was simply something she had to do. She knew many parents who gave up the fight when they realised the time, expenses, loopholes and the corruption. The chances of conviction was around 1%. But won't we take a 1% chance for a life saving surgery? She couldn't live without fighting. Her fight and the possible conviction could deter many in-laws from harassing for dowry. She was motivated to fight not only at the thought of her daughter but also the lives of other daughters.

When she entered the NGO's office she was greeted with cheer and more well-wishers. For some, justice had been denied, but they continued to believe in the cause. For many the cases were still pending, and they shared hopes. And then work went on as usual.

Few hours later, she came out of the office with another volunteer. A friend of a victim, who lay burnt at the hospital, had telephoned. Since she had a chance of survival, her parents were pressurising her to stay with the in-laws and not give statements to the police.

As she entered the hospital, the sun was about to set. She had won the legal battle, but her war against dowry was far from over. The last rays of that day's sun fell on her sixty five-year-old face - filled with determination - etched with hope, conviction and courage, in her endeavour to make the society realise that without money a woman's life is not worthless but still priceless.

In her own address, they oppress
Dowry's distress, makes her feel helpless,
Sans money she is not worthless,
Her life is precious and priceless