Does Dowry improve welfare of women? Dowry is the relocation of wealth from the bride’s family to the groom’s family, evidently for the bride. Dowry is an age-old practice in parts of the world, mainly in southern Asia. Originally, dowry was given to a new couple to build the groundwork for their life ahead, but as the time passed, the significance was lost and in-laws started to manipulate it for their benefit. The system of dowry puts lots of stress on the bride’s family, including but not limited to financial. In addition, the brides are subjected to torture, domestic violence, and even death, when the parents of the bride are unable to meet the demands of the groom’s family. Furthermore, the bride’s family is treated unfairly by the
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She is a girl born to Ramsundar after having five sons previously. As she grew up the matter of her marriage started to concern her father. As is the case in many parts of South Asia even today, growing daughters are considered as worrying matter. Ramsundar started looking for a suitable groom for his daughter. Ramsundar finally found someone who he liked and thought would be fitting groom for his daughter; the only son of Grand Raybahadur. The only problem was Raybahadur asked for a dowry of 10,000 rupees, and many gifts in addition. This puts lots of financial stress on Ramsundar as he knew he would be able to raise that much money, but he also knew he wouldn’t find such groom again. The day of the marriage ceremony arrived, but Ramsunder hadn’t raised all the money and the marriage almost got canceled due to that. It would have been canceled if not for the rebellious act of the groom against his father, as the groom insisted he would get married no matter what. Ramsunder and his family’s honor had already diminished in the eyes of Raybahadur, due to Ramsunder not being able to raise the money demanded. As the result, he himself and his daughter would bare the consequence in the future. Here Ramsundar is at least able to get his daughter married, but in many cases lots of women remain unmarried throughout their life; as a result of not being able to fulfill the demand of …show more content…
Nevertheless, the law is widely disregarded and dowry system is still practiced in many parts of the world. For those who can afford to make the dowry payments it can be seen as an positive investment, as their daughter and son in law would have the resources available to start their new life. In fact, some believe it’s the daughter’s hereditary right to acquire wealth for her father; when she moves on with her new life. But for those who are underprivileged making the dowry payments can cost them what so little they have. For example, in the story Profit and Loss Ramsundar did everything he could to raise money for dowry payment. He even went as far as almost selling his house; if not for abjections form his sons he probably would have. Furthermore, the demands for dowry don’t stop after marriage. People always want more that’s human nature; this theory can be applied in this situation as well. Daughter in laws are constantly harassed to bring in more wealth form her family; sometimes even to the point of suicide. According to The Times of India, on May 31, 2013, a woman in Mohali allegedly committed suicide after she had complained of dowry harassments by her husband and his family. Moreover, according to the India’s National Crime Record “8,233 Indian women were killed in 2012 in dowry-related violence, or nearly one per hour. The Incidents of dowry deaths grew by nearly 3% over
She is a girl born to Ramsundar after having five sons previously. As she grew up the matter of her marriage started to concern her father. As is the case in many parts of South Asia even today, growing daughters are considered as worrying matter. Ramsundar started looking for a suitable groom for his daughter. Ramsundar finally found someone who he liked and thought would be fitting groom for his daughter; the only son of Grand Raybahadur. The only problem was Raybahadur asked for a dowry of 10,000 rupees, and many gifts in addition. This puts lots of financial stress on Ramsundar as he knew he would be able to raise that much money, but he also knew he wouldn’t find such groom again. The day of the marriage ceremony arrived, but Ramsunder hadn’t raised all the money and the marriage almost got canceled due to that. It would have been canceled if not for the rebellious act of the groom against his father, as the groom insisted he would get married no matter what. Ramsunder and his family’s honor had already diminished in the eyes of Raybahadur, due to Ramsunder not being able to raise the money demanded. As the result, he himself and his daughter would bare the consequence in the future. Here Ramsundar is at least able to get his daughter married, but in many cases lots of women remain unmarried throughout their life; as a result of not being able to fulfill the demand of …show more content…
Nevertheless, the law is widely disregarded and dowry system is still practiced in many parts of the world. For those who can afford to make the dowry payments it can be seen as an positive investment, as their daughter and son in law would have the resources available to start their new life. In fact, some believe it’s the daughter’s hereditary right to acquire wealth for her father; when she moves on with her new life. But for those who are underprivileged making the dowry payments can cost them what so little they have. For example, in the story Profit and Loss Ramsundar did everything he could to raise money for dowry payment. He even went as far as almost selling his house; if not for abjections form his sons he probably would have. Furthermore, the demands for dowry don’t stop after marriage. People always want more that’s human nature; this theory can be applied in this situation as well. Daughter in laws are constantly harassed to bring in more wealth form her family; sometimes even to the point of suicide. According to The Times of India, on May 31, 2013, a woman in Mohali allegedly committed suicide after she had complained of dowry harassments by her husband and his family. Moreover, according to the India’s National Crime Record “8,233 Indian women were killed in 2012 in dowry-related violence, or nearly one per hour. The Incidents of dowry deaths grew by nearly 3% over