In India, marriage is highly influenced by traditions and deep-rooted cultural beliefs. Marital practices are passed down throughout generations either orally or are sometimes even changed to reflect the constantly shifting social climate. However, one such custom exists that has consistently resisted any form of change or evolution: the dowry system.
The origins of the dowry system in India lie in the medieval era when a gift was given to the family of the bridegroom by that of the bride, usually in the form of durable goods, cash, or property, as a condition of marriage to maintain the bride’s independence in her new household. During the colonial era, the practice of dowry was mandated by the British, making it the only legal method to get married. The practice continues even till the contemporary period, and the growing economy of present-day India has resulted in increasing dowry prices within all socio-economic sectors. However, another consequence of the continuation of giving and accepting dowry is an alarmingly increasing amount of violence, particularly in the form of dowry deaths.
Dowry deaths and dowry murder relate to either the killing of a bride by her husband and her family shortly after the marriage due to their dissatisfaction with the amount of dowry given, or might even include abetment to suicide of the bride. This crime comprises of all attempted and conducted actions that intentionally advise, encourage or may even assist one in committing suicide. In the case of dowry deaths, this can be caused by incessant physical and psychological abuse by the husband and his family, coupled with threats of harm. Such abusive behaviour can leave a woman desperate and helpless, eventually cumulating in severe emotional trauma, depression and suicide. India reports the highest total number of dowry deaths with 8,391 such deaths reported in 2019, meaning that there are 1.4 deaths per 1,00,000 women.
Dowry murder usually includes bride burning, where brides are doused in kerosene and set ablaze but the husband or her family. This is occasionally connected with abetment to suicide, as the bride may set herself on fire. Bride burnings are generally covered up or disguised as accidents or attempts at committing suicide and are conducted primarily because of the low cost of kerosene, the lack of sufficient evidence after the murder, and the low survival rate. Apart from bride burning, there have been incidents of strangulation, poisoning and acid attacks.
Despite its official abolition in 1961, the dowry system continues to be prevalent. Many cite the value systems of patriarchal societies and the stronghold of gender inequality for the reason behind its current prominence, while some have also placed the blame on the extent to which the dowry system is considered a part of Indian culture, which means that the system is thought of to be something which cannot be compromised or eliminated. Another important reason that others have highlighted is the dominance of marriage as an institution. Various Indian families consider a woman’s marriage to be of paramount importance, and if her marriage requires a dowry to be given to secure a relatively safe married life, it is never perceived as a crime.
The dowry system – and the deaths that follow from it – is a result of this stagnancy in traditions and cultures. The families of bridegrooms often take advantage of the dowry system because of the wealth it gives them. In some cases, when the dowry is not given, abuse or abandonment of the woman ensues, which they justify by the fact that her family did not fulfil their duty. This harsh reality continues to haunt women that venture towards independent, respectable and empowered futures. The dowry system further results in the sentiment of daughters being a burden, particularly for families that are not very financially secure. Consequently, such families either save their wealth for paying dowries – rather than investing in their daughters’ educational or professional prospects – or conduct sex-selective abortions to avoid paying the dowry altogether.
To bring about change in the values of such patriarchal traditions and systems, many young women have refused to participate in the custom of dowry, citing their self-dependence as a mechanism for change in the prevalence of the dowry system. While such actions are changing the system in various families and areas, for many women, a largely uphill battle remains.
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