Summary

At the outset of The Bandit Queens, in Chapter 1, Farah did not show up to the weekly loan payment meeting. Saloni and the other women whispered furtively about her absence and Geeta assumed that they must have made similar comments when Ramesh left. When Ramesh vanished, the other townspeople call her a “churel who, depending on the gossiper, gobbled children, rendered women barren or men impotent” (6). Geeta suggested that they each contribute an extra fifty to cover Farah’s payment but Saloni, Priety, and Priya objected that their children kept “getting more expensive” and they could not sacrifice the money (5). Greeta conceded and offered to pay the extra money as she was the only one without children. That evening, Farah visited Geeta and confided nervously that she wanted her help to kill her husband, Samir. The protagonist ushered her out of the...