One of the basic function of a dowry has been to serve as a form of protection for the wife against the very real possibility of ill treatment by her husband and his family.
What is Dowry ?
A "Dowry"is a transfer of parental property, gifts, property or money upon the marriage of a daughter. Dowry contrasts with the related concepts of bride price and dower.
One of the basic functions of a dowry has been to serve as a form of protection for the wife against the very real possibility of ill treatment by her husband and his family.
The main reason of dowry is the expectations that a dowry will be given at the time of the bride and groom's engagement is to compensate for the groom's education, career and wealth. The bride's education, career and wealth are completely disregarded as she is not given equal societal status to a men.
Difference between Bride price and Dowry
A Bride price is money or something of value (property)from a groom or the groom's family, to the Bride's family.so money from a groom or his family. A Dowry is money or property brought by a bride to her husband when the marriage occurs. Typically the Bride's money or property is from her family.
How Dowry is a social devil ?
Dowry is a social evil in the society, that has caused unimaginable tortures and crimes towards omen. The evil has taken lives of women frome all states of society -be it poor, middle class or the rich.It is because of the dowry system, that daughters are not valued as much as the sons.
Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961
The Dowry Prohibition Act(Act no. 28 of 1961).Be it enacted by Parliament in the twelfth year of the Republic of India.
Who gets the Dowry in India ?
In Indian cultures, it is usually a custom that one never goes empty handed when they are invited anywhere. Historically in most Indian cultures, the bride lived with her husband and in his ancestral home with his family. The Dowry is a present dowry bride takes with her to her new-in-law.
Do people still take Dowry In India....?
Even though Dowry has been illegal in India since 1961,it is still prevalent. According to the National Crime Records Bureau of India in a country with nearly 10 million wedding a year, less than 1000 did not take dowry from the bride's home.
- Dowries maintain gender inequality
- Dowries lead to infanticide
- Dowries keep women from economic independence
- Dowries trap poor people in debt
- Dowries discriminate against the disables
Due to the Dowry system women face alot of threats and committed suicide.
India has by far the highest number of dowry related deaths in the World according to Indian National Bureau.
Number of reported dowry death cases in India 2005-2019 :-
In 2019 reported dowry death cases in India amounted to more than 7.1 thousand.This was a gradual decrease from the 2014, in which this number was approximately 8.5 thousand.
Dowry Jail
If any person demands dowry directly or indirectly from the parents or other relatives or guardian of a bride or bride groom, as the case may be, any dowry, he shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than 6 months, but which may extended to 2 years and with fine which may extended.
Dowry system in Religion
Till recently parents used to fix the marriage of their wards and get them married on their attaining maturity.Dowry system was in vogue and a portion of the dowry was given to the Church..... ...Christians never encouraged child marriage.Marriage to an older woman was also not supported.
A dowry in the Muslim faith is a gift, or a promise of a gift, to the wife by the husband.It is negotiated shortly before the couple's marriage and is often in written form....... The dowry serves as a form of security or money the wife can use in the future for her own benefit upon marriage breakdown.When dowry evolved in the Vwdic period, it was essentially followed by the upper castes to benefit the bride, who was unable to inherit property under Hindu law.... In the modern era, the practice of dowry requires the bride's family to transfer goods to thr groom's family in condideration for the marriage.
Steps to eradicate Dowry
- Educate your daughter
- Encourage them to have their own career
- Teach them to be independent and responsible
- Treat them (your daughter )equally without any discrimination
- Do not encourage the practice giving or taking dowry.
It is unfortunate that, in modern society there is a tendency to projManu Manu as 'anti - women '. In fact, he holds women in high esteem. According to him, the land where women are honoured becomes the favourite abode of Gods.
The statement Na sthree swaatantryam Arhati is often cited as an example for Manu's anti women stance. It is wrongly translated as a women doesn't deserve Independence. The word Swantantrhere here does not mean “Independence ", but refers to the state or condition of depending on one's own self for sustenance.
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