a thirteen year old living in India, while she is still living at home. She is happy with her parents and brothers, though her life is strictly controlled by tradition. Soon her parents scrape together a dowry and she finds herself married.
The bridegroom's parents had lied to her family in order to get enough money together to take their son, who is very ill, to the great Ganges River. Their motives are good (they want to save their son's life) but their deception changes Koly's life forever.
When her husband dies, her life goes from bad to worse. Her mother-in-law (her Sass), abandons her alone in Vrindavan, the holy city, where many widows are sent to live by families who do not want to support them.
Even with this unexpected turn of events, Koly makes a life for herself and finds true happiness. Her character is a very strong one and deserves a lot of credit for the future she carves out for herself. No matter what, she is always true to herself.
