The Bandit Queens

Karem and Geeta escape into the local bazaar. Karem confirms Geeta’s suspicions that Bada-Bhai’s son is the Rabari woman’s child, while Geeta confides to Karem that she has freed the other dogs and kept the sick one. While they walk among the shops, the two talk; they are agreed about the cruelty of the concept of dowry. They also concur that women have the right to decide whether to become mothers or not. After all, Geeta thinks, the Bandit Queen did not have children. Karem notices how well the dog has taken to Geeta and encourages her to keep him as a pet.

Geeta needs to purchase the rat poison, but with Karem so close, the task is impossible, and she is unable to procure the poison. They amble past an appliance store, and Karem pulls Geeta inside to look at refrigerators. The nicest ones are far too expensive for her, and she and Karem both accidentally embarrass each other in the exchange. He pretends that he can afford the expensive appliance, and the salesman mistakes them for a married couple. After awkward apologies, they both agree that their outing had been pleasant. When Geeta returns home, however, she is thrown into guilt at the sight of