A dowry is the money, goods, or estate that a woman

brings to her husband in marriage.

Originally, the purpose of a dowry was to provide "seed

money" or property for the establishment of a new
household, to help a husband feed and protect his family,
and to give the wife and children some support.
 It is estimated that a dowry death
occurs in India every 72 minutes.
• The practice of dowry ,a nationwide problem.
• Now found in communities and castes in which it had
never been the custom.
• Inherited from upper caste practices. In majority of
cases,
• Laws failed to show any impact on the practice of
dowry.
• In marriage the groom demanded that the bride’s
father also provide for his daughter’s
maintenance, since she was now a financial
‘burden’ on him. And the system of dowry
started. So, a girl became a potential financial
drain on man.

• As a matter of prestige too, more money and

material goods asked in dowry.

• The girl was no longer desired.

Considering the evils of the dowry system, the dowry prohibition act
was passed in 1961.

According to the act if a person gives or takes dowry or directly or

indirectly demands for dowry after the marriage from his wife or her
parents then the person is liable to get punished and imprisoned for
six months and also pay a fine of Rs.5000,
but which may extend to two years and with fine which may extend
to ten thousand rupees.
 The world population has
a sex ratio of 990 females
per 1000 males
Sex ratio:
Japan 1041
USA 1029
Indonesia 1004
Bangladesh 953
China 944
India 933
India has one of the
lowest sex ratios in the
world

WikiProject India Maps

The educated people should think and realize how unholy it
is to demand a rich dowry for taking the hand of a bride.

They should know that it is immoral and sinful to demand

dowry and the sake of holy marriage. While demanding
dowry they should think of their unmarried sisters and
future daughters so that they will refrain from this ugly
demand.

They should realize that dowry has never changed the fate or
financial position of anyone in this world. If they do not
realize these simple truths, girls should organize themselves
to such an extent that no girl will marry a man who demands
a rich dowry for her hand.
Now, the Government has enacted a law to check the system of dowry
in our country.

Demand for dowry has become a cognizable offence. A groom

demanding dowry can be criminally prosecuted.

But it is not enough. A man demanding rich dowry should be debarred

from holding a Government job, as in the case of a man having more
than one wife.