For 12 year-old Maya, life is very simple in her village in rural India. From innocent pranks to small adventures in the nearby forest, she spends most of her time with her 11 year-old cousin Sanjay. However, their fraternal love will be shattered when Sanjay will fail to save her from her fate: as a girl becomes a woman, she is the victim of an ancient and brutal ritual that leaves her scarred for life. This ceremony, although forbidden, is still practiced in parts of the country today. Written by e32