Can Dowry system in India be abolished?

India
January 13, 2007 6:33am CST
A dowry (also known as trousseau) is a gift of money or valuables given by the bride's family to the groom's at the time of their marriage. It has been regarded as contribution of her family to the married household's expenses. In societies where payment of dowry is common, unmarried women are seen to attract stigma and tarnish the family reputation, so it is in the bride's family's interest to marry off their daughter as soon as she is eligible[citation needed]. In some areas where this is practiced, the size of the necessary dowry is directly proportional to the groom's social status, thus making it virtually impossible for lower class women to marry into upper class families. In some cases where a woman's family is too poor to afford any dowry whatsoever, she is either forbidden from ever marrying, or at most becomes a concubine to a richer man who can afford to support a large household. Dowries have been part of civil law in almost all countries, Europe included. Dowries were important components of Roman marriages. It was regarded as a contribution by the bride's family to the married household's expenses. The opposite direction, property settled on the bride by the groom, is called dower. Normally the bride would be entitled to her dowry in event of her widowhood, prior to the evolution of her dower rights; so common was this that the terms "dowry" and "dower" are sometimes confused. (The above text was copied from wikipedia) This dowry has lead to death of the bride. Especially this is happening in India.
3 responses
• India
13 Jan 07
inspite of these lawz,dowry system is still prevelant in india cuz of lack of awareness. n the sad part is dat it is not only limited to the rural areas but iz also practised in urbanised families wich r highly educated. this is indeed 1 of the biggest impediments to india'z development.
• India
13 Jan 07
Thanks tanya... But i feel that even in the metros its going on and maily the middle class family is facing these kind of things...
@AvizWorld (265)
• India
13 Jan 07
No, I don't think this could be abolished as now can want to loose the free money!!! and all are only speakers, no doers. this is may take 20 years are more....
• India
13 Jan 07
dowry system is already abolished in india. it iz not permissible to force the parentz of the bride to arrange for any stuff. but still the girlz family givez away giftz n presentz just for their own satisfaction,,bcuz they derive happiness out of it.but demanding ransum iz illegal.