Dying Candle

Storyline

A young woman has to make a difficult choice of whether or not to take care of her younger brother, even though her dignity is at risk by doing so. Her brother's situation becomes so desperate that she feels she only has one option- to make a great self-sacrifice to save her family.

Plot

Kshemi lives with her family in the Himalayan mountains of Nepal. She becomes the caretaker of her family after her father's death. Usually, this is a role passed on to the son; however, her brother and mother are both ill. Kshemi also has three younger sisters she is taking care of. Although she was supposed to leave home to start a life of her own, she knows she cannot marry and leave her family when they need her so desperately.

Money is tight and they can rarely afford the luxury of anything beyond the bare necessities. Although Kshemi longs for a hairband, she puts her brother Tikpe first and buys him a pair of slippers. When one of Tikpe's slippers breaks, they try to repair it, but it's too far gone. Even though the shoe is broken it has enough value for Tikpe to trade it for a gift for Kshemi. Kshemi is surprised to receive the exact hairband that she longs for because she had never shared her desire for it with her brother. The bond between the family is very tight and they always put each other before themselves, especially between Kshemi and Tikpe.

This bond is soon to be tested. In a desperate attempt to heal his sick mother, Tikpe tries an unorthodox approach. While attempting to create a witchcraft spell, Tikpe injures his leg in the middle of the night. The leg must be treated soon or he risks amputation or even death. Kshemi will do anything to help her brother. To make matters worse, her mother's illness intensifies. She has no idea where to get the money to pay for the medical treatment needed. A man in town makes her a sinister proposition; run away and marry him and he will pay the medical bills. Not only does she dislike this man for trying to force her into marriage, she also knows him to be arrogant, dishonest, and a drunk. She had hoped that when the time came, she could end up with her love Mukunda who is an honest man that lives in a nearby village.

Now she is forced to make a choice. She marries the rich and crooked Janak Lai, sacrificing her dignity and all hopes of a marriage filled with love and spiritual connection. Her body now belongs to Janak Lai but not her heart. It is still worth it to her to save her family. She must elope with Janak Lai even though Makunda had fought for her. In her mind, Makunda has won, because her heart belongs to him.