Stridhan

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Dowry is a social evil in the society, that has caused unimaginable tortures and crimes towards women. The evil has taken lives of women from all levels of society - be it poor, middle class or the rich. However it is the poor who succumb and fall prey to it, more due to their lack of awareness and education.It is because of the dowry system, that daughter are not valued as much as sons. In society, many times it has been seen that they are seen as a liability and are often subjected to subjugation and are given second-hand treatment may it be in education or other amenities.'Yatra Naryastu Pujyante ramante tatra Devata' says a famous shloka from Manusmruthi which means where women are honoured, divinity blossoms there.These shloks are forgotten.Dowry system is a practice where the bride?s family provides gifts, money, jewellery, utensils, crockery, bedding, electrical appliances, furniture, vehicles or property to the groom and his family as part of the marriage arrangement. While it has historical roots in various cultures, it has often been associated with social and economic pressures. In Arabic dowry is referred as dahej and in the eastern part of India known as Aaunnpot.Practically, it is difficult to pinpoint where the custom of dowry originated in India, but it has connections to the ancient past. The Code of Manu explains the difference between dowry and bride wealth. Dowry was considered more esteemed and was associated with the Brahmanic caste, while bride wealth was linked to lower castes. Ancient texts referred to dowry asstridhanaka, which means an avaricious gift, indicating that two people are joined in matrimony. The bride was given in marriage in exchange for a price known as Sulka. Since the Vedic period, dowry has prevailed, with gifts from parents and relatives recognized as a woman?s wealth, known as Stridhan.This was intended to support the bride for her own purposes. If her absent husband made no provisions, she could use this property to maintain herself, her son, or her daughter-in-law.Today the government has come up with many laws and reforms, not only to eradicate the dowry system but also to uplift the status of the girl child by bringing in many schemes.

It is now for society at large to become aware of and understand the situation. It is up to all of us to take active steps in bringing about the necessary change and stop either giving or taking dowry. We must all know that we should start valuing our daughters first so that others know their value once they grow up.

Important steps to eradicate dowry

Educate your daughters

Encourage them to have their own career

Teach them to be independent and responsible

Treat them (your daughter) equally without any discrimination

Do not encourage the practice of giving or taking dowry

Case Study-In a shocking twist to the Greater Noida dowry case, where Vipin Bhati set his wife ablaze, he was caught with another woman in 2024. Both were publicly thrashed on the street after the incident. Multiple reports suggest that he was caught by his own family. More details are awaited on this. It is also said that Nikki was aware of this incident. Vipin is the prime accused of hitting and setting his wife on fire at their Greater Noida Home over Rs 35 lakh dowry.The father of the victim, Nikki Bhati, who was killed by her husband and in-laws over a Rs 36 lakh dowry demand, has appealed to the Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath for an encounter and house demolition. The victim?s father, Bhikari Singh Payla, reportedly alleged that the "whole family was involved in the conspiracy" against his daughter and killed her.

Nikki was killed by her husband Vipin Bhati and in-laws after they thrashed and allegedly set her on fire by pouring an inflammable substance for Rs 36 lakh dowry. In a viral video of the incident, Nikki is seen stepping down stairs while on fire and sitting on the floor with her burn marks clearly visible in the video.

Nikki Bhati Dowry Death: Father Demands House Demolition

"They are killers, they should be shot, their home razed. My daughter was bringing up her son by running a parlour. They tortured her. The whole family was involved in the conspiracy, and they killed my daughter,? the father of 28-year-old Nikki was quoted as saying by NDTV.

Nikki's father urged Yogi Adityanath to take action. He said, "They shoot pickpockets in the leg and they won't kill these murderers? This is a BJP government."

How Dowry Started in India

In 1793, Lord Cornwallis enabled the privatization of land, a practice previously unknown in India. During this time, the British completely prohibited women from owning any land or property. Consequently, parents began to give money to the bride during her wedding, but as the British restricted womens ownership of wealth, any money received from her parents would belong to her husband. Various crimes, including murder, mental abuse, and suicide, occurred if the bride did not bring the expected wealth, leading to pressure from the grooms family. This led to husbands misusing the right to possess their wives? wealth. Thus, the concept of dowry evolved, becoming a requirement for marriage, meaning that brides had to bring wealth as desired by their in-laws. Various crimes, including murder, mental abuse, and suicide, occurred if the bride did not bring the expected wealth, leading to pressure from the grooms family.