Relevant for SOCIOLOGY Syllabus
Systems of Kinship in India: Family and marriage in India.
Challenges of Social Transformation: violence against women
NEWS IN SHORT
- As disturbing news of dowry atrocities in Kerala kept surfacing in last few weeks – some even leading to deaths – politicians, NGOs, women welfare groups and common public came together to express their horror and disgust.
SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE
Syllabus: violence against women
Social Dimensions of Dowry:
English education and white-collar jobs have accentuated the problem of dowry. A boy with good education and employment becomes much sought after match for a girl. If anything has kept some pace with wider social and economic changes in India, it is the increase in dowry in terms of cash and material goods.
What is Dowry?
It is not easy to define dowry as it does not refer to cash and material goods alone. It has been defined as a share of a daughter or a sister in parental property, given to her at the time of her marriage. But dowry is not really given as an amount equivalent to a daughter’s share vis-a-vis her brothers.
- The development in the patriarchal societies has been such women have become weaker section of human population. Her functions have been relegated to mere procreation and attending the household chores. The patriarchal culture dilutes freedom and equality of women in all walks of life.
- In South India it is called as stridhan, and in North India it is considered as a gift or dahej.
- It is also a fact that since a girl joins her husband’s house in Hindu patriarchal society, she is given compensation in forms of dowry.
- As per ancient custom, Kanyadan was followed by the ritual of Vardakshina, which was a nominal amount decided unilaterally by the girl’s father according to his financial condition,yathashakti.