This article has been written for Techkriti Blog for a Cause Contest. The topic was: “The hand that rocks the cradle rules the World.” Write about a particular issue concerning the position of women in today’s society. For more information visit: http://www.socialscribblers.in/techkriti-blog-cause/

1. DOWRY
An Obstacle for Life
Woman - a daughter, a sister, a wife and a grandmother, throughout her
life she dreams of having a wonderful life, a life to see to it that her marks
in the school will make her parents happy, a life to see to it that her
husband stays healthy, a life to see to it that her children study for their
exams and a life to
die
seeing
others
happy. She cares for
others,
more
than
herself, then why we
see her so much
vulnerable in every
moment of her life.
So many issues to talk about women, rape being the most popular issue on
women in the present time, almost all the women, in India, are vulnerable
to this offence. But just like rape, the dowry system has affected the
women psychologically, physically and emotionally. The dowry system
kills her like a slow poison.
The custom of dowry, in India, has spread through the hierarchy of social
stratification. Several feminists suggest that the practice was initially
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2. adopted by the upper castes, then over a period of time it has been passed
down into lower castes, and eventually reaches the untouchables, the
outcasts. As the sociological studies suggests, often lower groups intend to
copy there dominant group in there society.
India ranks 136, in Human Development Index, among 187 counties
around the world. This show, the people in India are in very bad condition
and more than half of the population lives in poverty. The reason for
poverty in India, if we look historically, it is because of the caste system,
which restricted half of the population, in India, to develop, as even in
present time 66% of Dalits are poor, and if we look in present time,
education has deprived the poor from getting a better standards of living.
It is these poorer sections as well as the middle class of our country who,
not being educated and having good standard of living are still governed
by old customs and traditions and continue to practise the dowry system,
were in the name of gifting the groom the bride’s family is put into debt.
But even in many rich families too, this system is being followed, even
though they are well educated.
The sums of cash and goods involved, as dowry, are often so large that the
payment can lead to vicious cycle of debt in the bridal family. This has a
very bad effect on the lives of unmarried women who are considered as
economic liabilities by their parents, this leads to preference of boy over
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3. girl, leading to female infanticide and among the married women; they are
physically and mentally harmed by their husbands and his family
members, if promised dowry are not forthcoming.
Modernization in India has became a barrier to many customs to be
continued, like the caste system, the child marriage etc. but modernization
has also lead to increase in practise of certain customs which were
restricted to certain communities, as mentioned above.
When we see caste, dowry and modernization, they are all inter linked
with each other. With modernization, individual is not restricted to do his
caste occupation and has chances to have good standard of living. Since
new income and earning opportunities, brought about by modernization,
are predominantly filled by men, there price tag of dowry increased.
After analysing the historical developments of dowry system among the
people in India, who are governed under Hindu law, now let us look at the
Muslims, who are the 2nd largest population in India.
Despite the fact that Islam’s beauty lies in simplicity and it recommends
simple marriage, some transgressions such as dowry have crept into
Muslim society in a wide range.
When we look through Quran, we come across “Mahr”. According to
“mahr” it is a mandatory payment, in the form of money or possessions
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4. paid by the groom, or by groom's father, to the bride at the time
of marriage that legally becomes bride’s property.
But as time has passed by, Muslims have changed their character and are
following their Hindu counterparts in demanding and offering dowry both,
in heavy cash and kind. The competition among the rich and well-to-do
section of the Muslim community to reserve a good match for their
daughters for whatever the demand is, has increased. Education has hardly
has any influence on the minds of the people in respect of dowry. On the
contrary, a highly educated man expects a higher amount of dowry, just as
it happens among the Hindus.
The violence committed on women, for dowry, has increased in recent
times. If we observe properly, as to why this dowry violence takes place,
we can see a broader picture. The reason for dowry is mainly because the
women are seen as less productive than man, concept of dowry itself
shows that one’s gender determines one’s worth. The roots of this
deficiency can be seen were even a bride, who may be well educated and
earning than her husband, will still have to pay the dowry price, just like
the other bride who is not educated and not earning. And in some
instances too, were even if demands for dowry were to be satisfied fully,
young women would continue to face torture and harassment in their inlaws homes because of women’s custom-sanctioned-inferiority.
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5. Dowry deaths are example of patriarchal authority. In some cases, the
patriarchal authority expresses itself by murdering the young women by
burning with kerosene (most frequent in urban areas) or drowning
(common in rural areas). Other methods employed to murder include
poisoning and physical battery.
These facts and historical development shows that it is because of the
disrespect and uncultured behaviour that we show towards women, has
lead to female infanticide, uneducated girls, sexual harassment, dowry
system, heavy debt in bride’s family and domestic violence. Let us all
respect women, and treat them has equals, because only this solution, will
lead to abolishment of many social evils against women.
-Basawa Prasad
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