Dowry system in India

The dowry system in India refers to the durable goods, cash, and real or movable property that the bride's family gives to the groom, his parents, and his relatives as a condition of the marriage. Dowry is called "दहेज" in Hindi and as جہیز in Urdu.

Traditionally, the dowry served as the inheritance for the daughter, as her relationship was seen as severed from her parents at the time of marriage, and is sometimes negotiated as consideration or a "status equalizer" between the marrying families, often as a means of upward mobility. However, the system can put great financial burden on the bride's family. In some cases, requests for a dowry has led to crimes against women, ranging from emotional abuse and injury to death.

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.