Rising of Prices [Dowry]

The pressure for larger dowries is due to “the general rise in prices and the current obsession with gold and silver, the prices of which are rising almost every day” (S. K. Ghosh, Indian Women Through the Ages, p. 76) When the groom’s family sees the situation of the economy, they are tempted to demand dowry from the bride’s family in order to face economic crises.




· Income to Groom’s Family
The parents will give the best education to their sons in order to get a good bride. But, while getting the marriage settled, they will ask for dowry, because “parents who spend a sizable part of their earning in educating their sons regard them as investments to yield returns; they expect to realize the first and fattest dividend at their son’s marriage”


· Hypergamous Marriage System
Besides endogamy, we have also the analoma {hypergamous} system of marriage according to which a girl belonging to a lower caste can be married into a higher caste. When boys belonging to the higher castes marry girls of the lower castes, they demand high dowry. A person often pays a huge amount of dowry to get a son-in-law from a higher level in the caste hierarchy.
According to Kapadia**, “The practice of hypergamous castes, brought in its train problems of no mean significance. The main concern of the man is found in many of these hypergamous castes, to have been the exploitation of women and her people economically. Every parent desired his daughter to be married into the highest

social group to keep up or to add to his prestige, and this made him acquiesce in these abuses. When a number of offers were made to a single person he naturally insisted on his terms and bride groom price would go on swelling.” (Ram Ahuja, Indian Social System, p. 206)

Post a Comment

0 Comments
* Please Don't Spam Here. All the Comments are Reviewed by Admin.

#buttons=(Accept !) #days=(20)

Our website uses cookies to enhance your experience. Learn More
Accept !