Kanyadaan which gave birth to DOWRY SYSTEM

 Kanyadaan which gave birth to DOWRY SYSTEM

By Parichita Basak

Dowry is derived from the ancient Hindu customs of "kanyadan". In "kanyadan", the father of the bride offers the father of the groom money or property, etc.  In "varadakshina", the father of the bride presents the groom cash or kind. All of these could be done voluntarily and out of affection and love.

A marriage is forever, and there is no scope for a separation. Among the various ceremonies previously practiced, the ceremony in front of a "godly" fire  has taken over. The dowry custom continues to rule society. The evil of the dowry system has spread  in almost all parts of the country and sections of society. There are several reasons for the prevalence of the dowry system, but the main one is that it is a necessary precondition for marriage. "No dowry, no marriage," is a widespread fear. The price tag for the groom is now bigger and bolder. Families arrange most marriages, and a man who does not marry for love learns he can marry for possessions.

For this man, and his family, a woman becomes the ticket to shortcut riches through the system of dowry. There are a number of things people desire to have in their own houses but cannot afford; they use the opportunity of a son's marriage to get them. Dowry as a phenomenon has gone beyond the ritual of marriage. Pregnancy, childbirth and all kinds of religious and family functions are occasions when such demands are made. A more sophisticated public image of an extended gifting session has replaced the old system. Now there is demand for receptions in marriage palaces.

The women have become a kind of commodity. It is them who are the worst sufferers because dowry is most often a monetary agreement between two men - the bride's father and the groom. Caste-based practices have only added fuel to the fire. Dowry rituals have now spread even to communities where they were unknown. It has gone to different castes, crossed the boundaries of provinces and education and religion.

Official statistics show a steady rise in dowry crimes. More than 9, 5000 women are killed every year in India over dowry. The cases of dowry torture are the highest accounting for 32.4% of crimes against women in the country.

The Dowry Prohibition Act, in force since 1st July 1961, was passed with the purpose of prohibiting the demanding, giving and taking of dowry. The Dowry Prohibition Act clearly stipulates that a person who gives or takes or helps in the giving or taking of dowry can be sentenced to jail for 5 years and fined Rs.15, 000/- or the amount of the value of dowry, whichever is more. The Act also prohibits the giving and taking directly or indirectly any property or valuable security, any amount either in cash of kind, jewelry, articles, properties, etc. in respect of a marriage. The control is provided by stating a limit and names of gifters and their relationship to the married couple to be signed by both sides of parents.

 Despite protest by women's organizations, serious activism, legal amendments, special police cells for women, media support and heightened awareness of dowry being a crime, the practice continues unabated on a massive scale. Despite every stigma, dowry continues to be the signature of marriage. Women need real social, political, financial and moral support in their fight against the system. They have to be empowered so that they can take their decisions about their own life by refusing the dowry system.