Our country India, the land of Gods, is respected in the world for her mythological culture. The mythological thinking, the deep belief in almighty and religious nature has made the Indians well cultured. But, sadly there are some of the stained systems in our country which are the black spots in our image.
Dowry system is one of those much discussed systems. Although it is one of the most hated systems surprisingly it is growing day by day. Now- a-days this problem has created a lot of hue and cry in our country. This increasing system is a growing injustice to our society and morals. It should be immediately stopped.
Marriage is one of the most sacred and holy ceremonies in our society. But the horror of the dowry system has made this ceremony one of the feared institutions. In ancient Indian society there was no question of the dowry in marriages. It was considered to be a sin.
The bride-groom was voluntarily presented with some useful gifts which were not demanded at all. In some cases bride’s father was offered money to allow her to marry a young man. Because the bride was considered to be a virtuous arid the suitable one. But the whole situation has altered.
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Nobody bothers to approach a girl’s parents for her marriage. The parents of the girl desperately move in search of a suitable groom for her now. They persuade the groom’s parents and show them the temptation of money and dowry. Through these unfair means they get the consent of the groom’s parents for his marriage.
Thus begins the clandestine atmosphere of dowry. The groom’s father continues to place a series of demands before the bride’s father. He strongly asserts that these demands must be fulfilled before marriage. Otherwise he can never consent to his son’s marriage. The demands include refrigerator, colour television, motor cycle or car, ornaments of pure gold of sizeable quantity, money and plots of land in the capital area. In some case bride grooms are demanding money for their education and for constructing buildings. Bride grooms are purchased, to some extent, like marketable commodity.
Dowry system is an insult to our society. It reduces the position of both man and woman. Many educated men are demanding dowry. Thus dowry system is also an insult to our education and culture. Poor people cannot afford dowry. Many handsome and brilliant girls remain unmarried because they are poor.
Even after marriage, some brides are tortured and forced to bring more and more dowry from their parents’ house. If they fail, they are tortured and finally killed. The problem of dowry has reached the climax. There is no attempt for matching beauty with beauty, or brain for brain.
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Strict laws have been prescribed to check dowry system. But nobody looks at it. Rich people are giving heavy dowry to their daughters. They do not feel unhappy at such crime. Dowry system continues in spite of all steps to check it. However, it can be completely checked if the awareness against this system is created among the girls. If they vow not to marry greedy men, if they become economically self-dependent, then this ugly system will automatically disappear.