Adjust panni poo , Anusaruchu poo....

In a society where marriage is still seen as a milestone to be maintained at all costs, the tragic story of 27-year-old Ritanya from Tamil Nadu stands as a haunting reminder of how dangerous that mindset can be.

Rithanya, the daughter of a garment manufacturer, entered marriage just three months ago - a union that, like many, was tied to dowry expectations masked as “custom.” The promises were lavish: 500 sovereigns of gold and a luxury car worth ₹70 lakh. But when only 300 sovereigns were provided, the cracks began to show cracks that quickly widened into daily abuse, both physical and emotional.

Despite the warning signs, Rithanya like countless women, was told to "adjust." Even after returning home just 15 days into her marriage, broken and distressed, her pleas were met with a familiar refrain stay, endure, compromise - because what will people say?

But behind closed doors, her life was unraveling. Pressure, humiliation, violence- - all for the remaining dowry. Her final act of despair came on a Saturday when, after telling her in-laws she was visiting a temple, she was found lifeless in her car, having consumed pesticide.

Her heartbreaking WhatsApp voice messages to her father exposed the unbearable truth:

"I don’t like this life. I’m unable to continue… You and mom are my world. I’m sorry, father. Everything is over. I’m leaving."

It should never have come to this.

This tragedy isn’t just about dowry harassment or domestic violence - it’s about the cultural conditioning that forces women to stay in toxic marriages for fear of “what society will say.” It’s about families urging their daughters to endure abuse, rather than empowering them to walk away. It's about silence that becomes complicity.

The lesson is clear:

If a daughter comes home distressed, pleading for support, listen. Stand with her. Society's whispers are never louder than a child's cry for help.

Let us stop sacrificing lives at the altar of outdated pride and societal judgement. Marriage is not a prison. A toxic marriage is not worth a life. Justice for Rithanya is necessary. But so is change - in homes, in conversations, and in courage.

Source / Image Credit : The News Minute