Dowry--Curse to Indian Society 😈👿
Even we are using this quotation since ancient era,it has its aspect in the present time as things have turned upside down in the society..The dowry system is as old as the institution of marriage.It is social evil prevalent not only in India ,but other parts of the world.Many of the traditional customs have been given up but the custom of dowry has not only continued but flourished over the years.It reflects and perpetuates man's superiority over women and hence marks a mockery on the very idea of gender equality.In India,dowry refers to the durable goods,cash & real or movable property that the bride's family gives to the bridegroom,his parents or his relatives as a condition of the marriage.It is essentially in the nature of a payment in cash or some kinds of gifts given to the bridegroom's family along with the bride.It includes cash,jewellery,furniture,crockery and other household items that help the newly weds to setup their home.The system of dowry also prevailed during the ancient period.Parents of the bride provided gifts,money,property,and other household items to the girl of their own wish.It was knows as Streedhan and was justified as the premortem right of the girl.She was the absolute owner and even her husband didnt had no right over it.But with the passage of time,the definition of dowry changed,and became an important and primary factor in marriage.It became necessary for the parentsof the girl to give a good dowry to her irrespective of their ability.The married life of a girl came to depend upon dowry.Several girls,whose parents could not afford good dowry has to commit suicide as their in-laws made their life miserable.The worst part of this evil is that thisn evil led to birth of another evil(female foeticide).
There are multiple reasons of dowry.A few people give more dowry just to exhibit their high social and economic status.Most of the people believe that their daughters should live happily with their husbands and so provide dowry.Illiteracy is an important cause of dowry because most of the people are unaware about effect of dowry.With the passage of time , dowry has involved many characteristics when compared to traditional practices of giving gifts.It is nomore a voluntary excercise rather it is demanded diplomatically.The bridegroom and his family shamelessly present list of things which they want.Today marriage has become a stepping stone to acquire more wealth and social status.There is hardly a day when one doesnot read of dowry deaths in the national newspapers.Dowry is considered as a major contributor towars violence against women which include physical violence,emotional abuses,and even murder of brides and young girl prior to marriage.
Government has taken many steps to stop the abominable practice of dowry such as the dowry prohibition act1961,section 304B &498of indian penal code (IPC) India is also a party to several international human rights instruments like universal declaration of human rights,convention of elimination of all forms of discrimination against women,international covenant of civil ,political,economic,social & cultural rights. Apart from this several women's organisations have come into being in order to check this evil. Media is also playing an important role in curbing this disease from the society.Even the youth of the country is taking oath against this evil custom.Much has been done but much more needs to be done .
It may be concluded that the abolition of dowry system would be a landmark toward social reforms.With whatever intentions this custom may have been started,it cannot be denied it has failed to give equal status to women in the society.The time has came to scrape the roots and branch of dowry system.Unless we become more progressive in our outlook,less orthodox in our ways and more revolutionary in our ideas,dowry will remain the bane of our society.
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