Introduction

One sultry night, a young bride overhears an extraordinary conversation. The voices speak of a plot to murder a wife who has failed to produce a child and whose family has failed to produce the promised dowry...

Megha is sick with horror when she realizes she is the intended victim. Her husband--the very man who tied the sacred necklace of marriage around her neck--and his mother are plotting to kill her! In the moment of panic, she runs for her life. Frantically racing through Palgaum's deserted streets, her way lit only by the lights strung up for the Diwali festival, her single goal is to escape death by fire. But fleeing from her would-be killers seems impossible--unless she can find someone to help her...

To approach her best friend would bring scandal to an innocent woman's doorstep, and turning to her own strict, conservative family is out of the question. Instead, with nothing but the sari she wears and a memory of kindness, Megha finds her way to Kiran, the one man who has shown her friendship and respect. Hiding her in his apartment, Kiran becomes her protector. But the forbidden attraction that grows between them can only bring more danger...

Caught between tradition and the truths buried in her heart, a dowry bride will discover the real cost of the only things worth having in life...

"Packed with detail...splendidly depicts passion, brutality, and cultures in conflict." --Dorothy Garlock

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Excerpt

Her parents named her Megha, which means cloud in Sanskrit, perhaps because she cast a gray shadow over their lives at a time when they didn’t expect overcast skies. She was an unexpected, unpleasant surprise—rather late in their lives. Her father was in his forties, her mother in her thirties. When they were desperately hoping it would at least turn out to be a boy after having had two girls, ages thirteen and eleven, she came along—another screaming infant girl—with all the wants and needs and tribulations of a female—all the burdens of a Hindu Brahmin woman. ... view entire excerpt...

Discussion Questions

From the Author:


1. The Dowry Bride has the familiar echo of domestic violence. How different is the danger element surrounding Megha from what American or European women experience and why?

2. Although Megha has sisters, they never appear in the book. So why are they important to the story, and what kind of impact do they have on her life?

3. Megha says to Kiran, “You and I . . . we were born in an orthodox Brahmin caste and culture that is mired in a swamp that goes back a thousand years. The world goes around, but our traditions remain static.” How does the story portray this sentiment and the inherent contradictions of contemporary Indian culture?

4. Despite her trust in Kiran and knowing it’s the safest place to be, Megha is reluctant to stay in his home. Do you think she is justified in feeling that way and why?

5. At one point in the book, Megha almost succeeds in committing suicide. Why does she consider death better than living, especially after discovering the joy of knowing a wonderful man loves her and that she returns his feelings?

6. Amma has been looking for a bright and good-looking wife for her son for a long time, and yet, when she finds the ideal wife, why is she dissatisfied? What part does her own past play in her reaction to Megha and how does this play out through the entire book?

7. Discuss Megha’s father-in-law, Appaji’s role in her life. Despite his quiet ways and his obvious regard for her, how does he exert a strong influence on her?

8. Does the name “Megha” or “Cloud” really live up to its meaning in the story?

9. Do you think the universal themes of “love conquers all” and “good triumphs over evil” are portrayed in this novel? If yes, how and to what degree?

Weblinks

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