Unveiling the Menace of Dowry System

Cultural practices often carry with them the weight of expectations. The persistent dowry system, deeply rooted in our societal fabric, has long been a cause of concern, specifically for the bride’s parents. Over the time, with changing trends, this cultural practice has imposed an unseen burden on girls and psychological pressure on their parents. In this article, I’ll be discussing the detrimental effects of the dowry system on young women, its societal implications, and why it is important to educate the upcoming generation that demanding extravagant gifts from the bride’s parents in the name of dowry is extremely unethical and should be a shame for men. 

Historically, dowry used to be traditional gifts and some essential commodities given by the bride’s family to the girl as an expression of love. The cultural trend was initially followed to provide financial and emotional support to the newlyweds by sharing souvenirs with each other. Regrettably, this cultural practice has become a burden for young women placing an undue burden of responsibilities on their families to fulfill the demands in the name of dowry. In old times, the parents of a girl used to find it challenging to organize and host the majority of the wedding functions, as if it were entirely their responsibility to arrange everything. Nevertheless, as time progressed, the trend instead of relieving their financial strain, unfortunately imposed an additional burden upon them through the imposition of extravagant dowry demands, which brought about further disgrace.

In recent times, dowries for newly wed-girls have started to define their monetary worth among their in-laws. From diamond sets to palatial houses, the demands often extend beyond ethical boundaries and acceptance level leading parents to end up taking loans. Therefore, these unavoidable circumstances create a cycle of indebtedness that just keeps on going for generations. Moreover, high expectations for dowries have unapologetically devalued the status of girls/young women, hence labelling them as economic transactions. From the day a daughter is born, parents start saving money to collect numerous goods in the name of dowries for their daughters. Unfortunately, such mindsets and societal pressure often make parents compromise the quality of education for their daughters. Limited education opportunities for girls results in gender inequality, eventually hindering their potential.

Prioritizing dowry savings over the quality of education can be extremely damaging for young girls. Uneducated girls remain trapped in the cycle of poverty. Education has the potential to unlock various unimaginable doors for individuals as it nourishes self esteem and instills a sense of empowerment to make a change, and conquer the world. 

Therefore, these behaviors perpetuate the belief that the primary worth of a young girl lies in her marriage and dowry. The 85% of our lower middle class constantly fears being left behind if they don’t meet societal expectations. The emotional wellbeing of the parents of girls often gets neglected as they grapple with the societal pressure to assure these deeply rooted traditions. Therefore, such norms do not allow parents to express their feelings of separation from their beloved daughters because no one really wants to hear about it. When material wealth is prioritized over love celebrations, new relationships suffer. 

As such practices damage the healthy relationship between the two families by building a sense of competition and one-upmanship. Individuals should learn to appreciate and acknowledge the sacrifices a girl makes as she leaves her parents, family, and home to start a new journey with her husband, instead of focusing on material possession. Making people understand the detrimental effects of dowry and amending societal attitudes can be a little challenging when the problem has been deeply rooted in society for years now. By highlighting the negative impacts of the dowry system, it can help change the dark perceptions of the society eventually, fostering a culture where young women are not seen as commodities.

In conclusion, it can be asserted that the dowry system, despite its deep historical origins, stands against the principles of gender equality and ethical boundaries. Since nothing changes overnight, it is imperative to maintain a steadfast commitment and uphold an unwavering dedication by engaging in sustained initiatives and awareness campaigns to attain the intended outcome by making people understand the nuanced challenges posed by the dowry system. Lastly, it is important for all of us to acknowledge that Islam doesn’t encourage the concept of dowry either. In fact, such customs have been deemed as the most dishonorable conduct that any individual can opt for.