Assalam.o.Alaikum
Here I’m syeda mehnaz jahan from Jinnah University for women. There are many social issues in this world but today I want to take your attention towards main issue which can be consider as a smallest issues among the big economic and social issues but actually “The ancient ritual of dowry” creating tension and making poor more poor and rich more wealthier.
So let’s start from the beginning from where this system of “DOWRY” begins??
In far eastern parts of India, dowry is called Aaunnpot. Dowry is a payment of cash or gifts from the bride's family to the bridegroom's family upon marriage.
In India, it has its roots in medieval times when a gift in cash or kind was given to a bride by her family to maintain her independence after marriage. During the colonial period, it became the only legal way to get married, with the British making the practice of dowry mandatory.
The dowry system can put great financial burden on the bride's family. In some cases, the dowry system leads to crime against women, ranging from emotional abuse and injury to even deaths. The payment of dowry has long been prohibited under specific Indian laws including the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961 and subsequently by Sections 304B and 498A of the Indian Penal Code.
A court judgment clarifies the legal definition of dowry as:
"Dowry" in the sense of the expression contemplated by Dowry Prohibition Act is a demand for property of valuable security having an inextricable nexus with the marriage, i.e., it is a consideration from the side of the bride's parents or relatives to the groom or his parents and/or guardian for the agreement to wed the bride-to-be.
The Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961 article 3 specifies that the penalty for giving or taking dowry does not apply to presents which are given at the time of a marriage to the bride or bridegroom, when no demand for them have been made.
Although Indian laws against dowries have been in effect for decades, they have been largely criticized as being ineffective. The practice of dowry deaths and murders continues to take place unchecked in many parts of India and this has further added to the concerns of enforcement.
Section 498A of the Indian Penal Code required the bridegroom and his family to be automatically arrested if a wife complains of dowry harassment. The law was widely abused and in 2014, the Supreme Court ruled that arrests can only be made with a magistrate's approval.
The concept of dowry was common in Europe until the 19th century and is still important in Islamic world. Pakistan adopted the dowry system from Indian culture. In recent years, there has been an increased in the value of dowries in Pakistan.
This issue is not just about a particular country or a particular culture. This is the social issue to pay attention why this is happening in the society.
Rich people try to give their daughters each and every thing includes luxuries as well. That’s why poor are grinded in this society in the matter of their daughters marriages. Even this system becomes an evil which leads a bride or her parents towards death just because of not paying attention towards the demands of groom and his family.
Here I have a question why this system is still prevailing in our societies. Despite of getting education there are many families who still ask for dowry to get more rich and maintaining the status. I mean why why!! they are doing these shits with a girl and her parents as if they don’t have sisters and mothers in their houses. I am asking a question to all the man from this society is there just a matter of dowry a girl’s intelligence; her fine fingerness doesn’t even matter?? Don’t you all ever think why the bride’s parents struggle?? Just because to see their daughter’s happiness and you!! YOU PEOPLE make the most of their compulsion by demanding DOWRY.
Do you all know what the concept of dowry in Arabs is??
In Arab the meaning of DOWRY is actually (Maher) which is the right of a bride. In Arabs they give dowry to the bride and her family. Here I’m not totally agree with them that giving dowry to bride’s parents is right but atleast they are somehow not putting burden on the society by asking dowry.
I just want that please understand the feelings of parents understand that always money, luxuries, and status doesn’t matter.
Here I’m asking to the youth let’s make the new ritual of not asking for dowry. Make your daughter’s that much literate so that she can make the other family’s status higher by gathering all the people on one platform never get them shattered.
And make your sons that much responsible so that they can fulfill all the responsibilities and necessities of the wedding by his own instead of asking for something. May be he become a father of a daughter in future and when she become a bride he will not be able to give her dowry. What will he do then?? So let’s break the silence and chant the slogan of “say no to dowry”.
And government must do some strict actions against this social evil system of “Dowry”. To ease the burden of bride’s parents.
Mahatma Gandhi Says:
Any young man, who makes dowry a condition to marriage, discredits his own education and his country and dishonors womanhood.
Do you what dowry actually means according to me:
It is stated as “donkeys of the first order who can’t stand on their own feet rely on their wives richness but yet shameless.
In the end I want to say I am hoping that this article will be got noticed and create awareness.