Dowry system in India facts for kids
The dowry system in India is when the bride's family gives gifts to the groom and his family. These gifts can be money, valuable items, or property. It's a condition for the marriage to happen. In Hindi, dowry is called "दहेज," and in Urdu, it's جہیز.
This system can create a huge financial burden for the bride's family. India has laws against dowry, like the Dowry Prohibition Act of 1961. Other laws, Sections 304B and 498A of the Indian Penal Code, also forbid it. Even though these laws have been around for many years, some people say they haven't been very effective.
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A Famous Historical Dowry Example
Bombay as a Dowry Gift
A famous historical event involving dowry is when the city of Bombay (now called Mumbai) was given to the British. This happened as part of a marriage agreement. The agreement was between Charles II of England and Catherine of Braganza. Catherine was the daughter of King John IV of Portugal.
The marriage treaty was signed on June 23, 1661. It included the seven islands of Bombay as part of Catherine's dowry to Charles II. Bombay was officially given to the British in 1665. The British East India Company took full control in 1668. They rented it from the King for a very small amount of money each year.
Why Does Dowry Happen?
Many reasons are suggested for why the dowry system exists in India. These reasons include economic factors and social factors.
Money Matters and Dowry
Several economic factors play a role in the dowry system. These include how property is passed down and the bride's financial situation.
Some experts believe that old inheritance rules put women at a disadvantage. Often, only sons would inherit family wealth. This made women dependent on their husbands and in-laws. The in-laws would keep the dowry when she married. Before 1956, daughters had no legal right to inherit family wealth.
In 1956, India changed its laws. The Hindu Succession Act gave daughters and sons equal legal rights to inheritance. This applied to Hindu, Sikh, and Jain families. (Muslim families in India follow different personal laws based on Sharia).
Despite the new law, dowry continued. It became a way for parents to give property to a daughter when she married. This happened through social custom, not through a slow court process after parents passed away.
Dowry was also seen as a way to give women financial security in their marriage. It was meant to protect family wealth and provide security to the bride. This system could also be like an early inheritance. Once a woman received gifts, she might not get more from the family estate later.
However, for many, dowry has become a huge financial burden. Demands from the groom's family have grown over time. This can leave the bride's family very poor.
Social Reasons for Dowry
The way marriages are arranged in parts of India also affects dowry. In northern India, a bride usually moves to live with her husband's family. This is called a patrilocal system. In this system, the bride's family might be less involved after marriage. Dowry might be seen as a way to give the bride her share of family wealth early.
In southern India, marriages often happen within the bride's family. For example, people might marry close relatives. Brides might also be able to inherit land. This makes them more valuable in the marriage. It can reduce the need for dowry, sometimes leading to a "bride price" system instead. In this system, the groom's family gives gifts to the bride's family.
Social customs and parents' expectations also play a big role. A study in 1995 showed that people's views on dowry were changing. But dowry still continued. A 1980 study found that most students felt dowry was not important. However, many of their parents still expected it.
India is making progress for women's rights. But women sometimes still have a lower status in their families. A woman's education, income, and health can affect the dowry system. These factors also influence how much control a woman has over her marriage.
Dowry Across Religions
Dowry in India is not limited to one religion. It is common among Hindus and people of other faiths. For example, Indian Muslims call dowry jahez. This jahez can include essential items for the bride and her new home. It can also include valuable goods, clothes, jewelry, and money for the groom's family. This amount is often agreed upon after discussion. The jahez is different from Mahr. Mahr is a cash payment or gift that Islamic law requires the groom to give to the bride.
Dowry Today
Dowry has been a common practice in modern India. It can be money or gifts from the bride's family to the groom's family when they marry. The practice of dowry varies across different regions and social classes.
States in northern India are more likely to have the dowry system. This is true for all social classes. In the north, dowry is often given as material goods or movable items. In the south, the "bride price" system is more common. Here, gifts are often land or other inherited goods. This system is linked to marriage customs where people marry within or close to their own families.
Dowry also differs based on how wealthy families are in India. Wealthier families are more likely to be involved in the dowry system than less wealthy families. This might be partly because women in wealthier families sometimes participate less in the paid labor market.
