Dowry system is one of the highly prevalent societal issue of India which once started as a custom has now turned into a evil culture.
Dowry refers to the payment made in cash or kind (valuable goods like furniture, jewellery etc) to a bride’s in-laws at the time of her marriage.
The amount depends on a large number of factors, including region, religion, caste and subcaste, groom’s education, bride’s skin tone and the negotiation skills of both the families involved.
The bride’s family gives these gifts for the well being of their daughter in her in-laws house and also to give her some financial security.
But now, this commonly and widely practiced culture of South Asian, African and European countries has brought major problems to society.
This practice can be linked to the patriarchal issues like dependency of woman on her husband, gender inequality, foeticide cases etc.
Not everyone has ability to give dowry to their daughter.
Its one of the primary reason that poor families thinks a girl as a burden to them.
They find themselves as incapable to give dowry thus leading to female infanticide cases in many parts of India.
They sacrifice their entire earnings and family property just to ensure a stable and fulfilling marriage of their daughter.
Rather than sending the daughters to school they tend to save money for their marriages.
But greed has no end. We are well aware of the news of killing or burning of brides by their in-laws or husband for more dowry.
Our daily newspapers are filled with the dowry death or domestic harassment cases.
Even if somehow a bride is able to give dowry then family pressurize her for not giving enough dowry and start demanding more.
Therefore to restrain such atrocious incidents, government of India had passed some laws.
It includes ‘The Dowry Prohibition Act of 1961’ and ‘Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act of 2005’.
According to the law, giving or receiving of dowry is prohibited and anyone who gives or takes dowry will be punished with imprisonment of not less than five years and a fine of around fifteen thousand rupees.
But these anti dowry laws are ineffective due to their weak implementation, wide practice of this vice and lack of education among downtrodden sections of India.
Dowry system has been curtailed in laws but the real image of society shows it other way.
The National Crime Record Bureau of India reports that every hour a woman succumbs to dowry deaths.
On an average, more than 20 women are killed everyday for dowry.
Even with increasing awareness among youth, this bane culture is not showing abating signs.
The actual picture is more worse than what is being reported. Many of such cases are obscured by the bride’s family for their family prestige and honour.
It is deplorable that such traditions are still carried in India at a wide level despite the awareness, education and governmental laws.
Thus it’s the need of the hour that these laws should be practically curtailed and not just in Constitution so that every married woman can live a happy and honoured life.
Prachi Tamak.
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