Lowly position in rural Indian society 

Village women have a hard life. They are generally uneducated and have few options in life. Their worth is often measured by how hard they work and how many sons they produce. At birth, they are often regarded as disappointments by families who want a son. After that they are regarded as the property of their fathers, brothers or husbands and some can't go anywhere without their permission.

 

Girls are expensive to a family, after a comparatively short time they marry and then become part of the grooms family where they might become their unpaid dogsbody. A hefty sum of money is spent on her dowry. At times, the demand from the  groom’s family continues even after marriage. When the bride’s family fails to satisfy their demands, the bride can be tortured.