• Essay On Dowry System

Dowry System Essay

500+ words essay on dowry system.

Marriage is a beautiful relationship between two people where they are bonded by love and begin their new life together. In India, there is a custom of giving some gifts either in cash or gold or both before and after the wedding to the bride and the groom out of affection. It is considered as love and blessings for the newly wedded couple that help them in starting their new life. However, during the last three or four decades the Dowry System has become associated with the status of a family. Now, it has become compulsory to give money and gold to the groom’s family. This has given birth to the dowry system. In this essay on the Dowry System, we will highlight the points related to dowry in marriage and how it has affected our society. Moreover, at the end, we have discussed some steps to be taken to stop the dowry system.

Dowry System

Dowry has been conveniently defined as money, goods or estates, which a woman brings to her husband’s home after marriage. The system of dowry in marriages has been haunting our society for a long time. This is a social curse, which has gone unchecked, though time and again it has tormented people in general. Lust for money and acquiring high social status for one’s family has given birth to the social evil called Dowry. It has become the root cause of suicides and murders of brides. Bride burning for want of dowry has become a way of life. Different communities have different marriage customs, but the custom of giving dowry is shared by all the communities.

The dowry system is a great evil that still exists in society. It is an act of discrimination against unmarried girls, whose values are defined based on the prices of their respective dowries. It is an example of greed and selfishness and is a great curse, especially for the parents who belong to the lower middle class. This is the reason why people get depressed and feel cursed at the birth of a daughter. Moreover, the dowry system paves the way for other crimes against women like female foeticide, female infanticides, dowry death, cruelty by husband and his relatives.

How Can the Dowry System be Stopped?

A dowry system is a social stigma that needs to end. Every girl should go to her in-law’s house with pride. In India, every 5 out of 10 families face the dowry system. There are many laws made by the government but the custom of dowry persists in our society. So, there is an urgent need that we all start taking action against it. The first step is to start from our homes. At home, we should treat both boys and girls equally by providing them equal opportunities. We should educate both of them and give them freedom to be fully independent. The upbringing of the girls should not be limited to household work and marriage. In fact, they should be nourished in such a way that they feel free to make their choice, put their demands, ask questions, think openly and have the guts to fulfil their dreams.

There is a need to create awareness campaigns in different sections of society to make people aware of it. The campaign includes voluntary organization, civil marriage, launching of the youth movements etc. Eradicating the dowry practice will give equal rights to women and boost their confidence level. It will help in the growth of the family, society and nation. The sooner the dowry becomes a thing of the past, the better for our society.

Frequently asked Questions on Dowry System Essay

How can we write an effective essay on the dowry-system.

Students need to first understand what and how the Dowry system functions. This will automatically help students to write a descriptive essay.

Why is the Dowry-system an important topic for essay writing?

Students must be informed about such illegal practises happening around them. This will help them become responsible citizens of India.

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  • Dowry System Essay for Students in English

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The Dowry system in India has been running for a long time. It is the money that is given during marriage to the boy or their family, even property can also be included in dowry. The system of dowry started in ancient times during marriage the money will be given to the groom so that he can take proper care of his bride, it was used to honor both sides of the family. As time changes dowry still remains in society but its significance keeps changing with time. 

Nowadays, the dowry system is becoming like a business for some castes. The Dowry system is becoming a burden for the bride’s family. Many times if demand is not fulfilled for the boy's side then the marriage is abruptly canceled as a result of this failure.  If we see it in our Asian country, then dowry is becoming more important for the groom's side, mainly in countries like India.  To end this heinous social practice, the government has made a law to refrain people from taking dowry under the Act of 1961. 

Whatever money or property given by the bride side they should accept but it never followed. In many places, we come to know that because of not doing so on the groom's side the girls are harmed in such a way that sometimes even it leads to death. Some people even think dowry is like crime, it's illegal and they never ask anything from the bride's family. 

In India, everyone speaks and progresses for women's rights and says ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’ but a girl even after achieving everything in her life; where starts taking care of her family but even then she can't escape the shackles of dowry. Sometimes because of dowry which is mostly prevalent among the below poverty line people, they kill their daughters after they are born or before their birth in the mother’s womb itself so that they can escape dowry. Since they know after growing up and educating her, they still need to give dowry in order to get her married. However, one fails to understand that it is not a daughter’s fault for which she is being wrongfully punished but the fault of the society that allows such practices even after so many years of independence. 

The History of Dowry 

The dowry system predates the British period and colonization in India. In those days, dowry was not considered "money" or a "fee" that the Bride's parents had to pay.  One of the fundamental purposes of dowry was it acted as a form of protection for the wife against the ill-treatment by her husband and his family. Dowry also served as a helping hand for the bride and the groom to build a life together after marriage. 

When British authority came into effect, however, women were barred from owning any property. Women were not permitted to purchase any real estate, land, or assets. As a result, males began to possess all of the "Gifts" provided to the Bride by her parents. 

During the British Raj, the dowry system was made mandatory leading to immense pressure on the bride’s family financially. Dowry violence has become a prominent aspect that can be observed till date. The husband or his family use violence as a method to extract money from the bride’s family as a “gift.” This system leads to women being dependent on their husbands or in-laws after their marriage.

What are the Effects of the Dowry System?

Gender Stereotyping: Women are frequently viewed as liabilities due to the dowry system. They are frequently subjected to subordination and second-class treatment in terms of education and other amenities. 

Affecting a Women's Career: The lack of women in labour, and thus their lack of financial independence, is the greater context for the practice of dowry. The poorer sectors of society send their daughters out to work to help them save money for their dowry.  While most middle and upper-class families send their girls to school, they do not prioritize job opportunities. 

Objectifying Women: Today's dowry is more equivalent to a financial investment by the Bride's family to get access to powerful connections and lucrative business possibilities. As a result, women are reduced to commodities. 

Crime Against Women: Domestic violence includes the violence and murders related to dowry demands. Physical, mental, economic violence, and harassment as a way of enforcing compliance or punishing the victim are all utilized in dowry-related offenses, similar to domestic violence.

How to tackle the Social Evil of Dowry?

The dowry system is a social taboo that must be abolished. Every girl should be proud to visit her in-laws. In India, the dowry system affects 5 out of 10 families. Although the government has enacted numerous regulations, the practice of dowry continues to exist in our society. As a result, we all must begin taking action to combat it. Starting from our own homes is the first step. At home, both boys and girls should be treated similarly and given equal opportunity. Both of them should be educated and given the freedom to be completely self-sufficient. Education and freedom are the two most powerful and valuable gifts that parents can give to their daughters. Only education will allow her to be financially secure and a valuable family member, earning her respect and suitable family standing. As a result, the best dowry a father can bestow on his daughter is an excellent education, guidance, and motivation to pursue her aspirations. 

Another thing that needs to be done is make suitable legal amends.  No one can implement a law without the people's full cooperation. Enacting a law, without a doubt, establishes a pattern of behavior, engages social conscience, and aids social reformers in their efforts to repeal it. The system must give more moral value-based education to the common people to extend their brains and perspectives. 

Society should strive for gender equality. States should evaluate gender-disaggregated data across the life cycle — birth, early childhood, primary education, nutrition, livelihood, access to healthcare, and so on — to counteract gender disparities. Widening childcare and ensuring safe public transit is vital in decreasing workplace bias and establishing supportive work cultures. Men and women should have equal domestic chores and responsibilities. 

What do People think of the Dowry System?

Dowry is like a suicidal bag for many people who are not very strong financially. It should be completely stopped from all the country wherever it is followed. The government needs to take action in this so that no more crime takes place. In the modern era of India where people are reaching everywhere and achieving many things but still in many populations our thinking against dowry is the same. 

The Dowry system varies from state to state and also on the job profile of the groom. If we see in the north part of the country the groom having a government job, doctor or engineer then dowry is huge in terms of money, and whereas in the south part of the country, the bride is forced to give dowry in terms of land, jewellery, and money. It can be simply stated that if you can arrange a huge dowry you can get any groom for your daughter which is ethically and morally wrong. In ancient times. dowry was taken only from upper-caste families but now it is becoming a universal practice where everyone is forced to give dowry. In India, marriage is a big affair where both sides of the family call all the relatives and have to arrange everything from the beginning till the end of the marriage ceremony. It doesn't matter whether the bride is educated or not, they are still expected and forced in a way to give dowry for marriage. Though some may say that dowry is an involuntary act, in reality, it is voluntarily forced upon the bride’s family by the groom’s parents.

Dowry is giving rise to a lot of crimes in India. In some families, dowry is used as a threat or as a means to extract money from the bride's family irrespective of their financial condition. The north and east part of India show a high rate of dowry-related cases, many families subject the bride to domestic violence if their demands are not fulfilled. They will continue to abuse or threaten the bride at the hands of the husband or his family which unfortunately results in suicide. Nowadays, one can say that the groom's parents take dowry as a means of business from the bride's family. The dowry system is a problem for all families irrespective of their financial condition. Families might get any suitable groom to marry their daughter without giving dowry, it clearly shows that the dowry system is prevalent in the society and people are taking undue advantage of it under the garb of traditions.

The dowry that is taken by the groom’s side should be stopped everywhere, then only the country will be developed and the daughters can be independent. Dowry is also called ‘Dahej’ in Arabic, if it is given by the bride's side without any enforcement then only it is called a gift, else it becomes a crime. If the dowry system is completely wiped out then any bride's father will not have any burden and there will be no killing of girls after or before birth.

Dowry should be in the interest of the bride's family, not on demand by the groom's family. Dowry was made for the security of the bride to their new family where she marries and goes but over time people have changed its meaning to meet their needs. Let us all make endeavors to end this heinous social practice and safeguard our daughters and their bright futures. The important takeaway here is that parents should have the choice to happily give whatever they may desire to their daughters and nothing should be forced upon them in the name of traditions. 

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FAQs on Dowry System Essay for Students in English

1. What are the different ways one can control and put an end to the dowry system in India?  

To control and eventually put an end to the dowry system here are a few steps: 

Educate your daughters. 

Motivate your daughter to be independent and responsible enough to carry out her own work. 

Encourage gender equality. 

Do not encourage either taking or giving of dowry 

2. What led to the dowry system in India?

During British time the practice of the dowry system was introduced and eventually it was made mandatory. In India, the dowry system means giving of cash, precious jewellery, and fulfilling other demands made by the party. Over the years, even after so many years of Independence in India, people changed the meaning of dowry to fit their agenda and to meet their needs under the garb of social traditions.

3. Why should one refer to Vedantu?

All the reading materials at Vedantu are curated by subject-matter experts who have years of experience in the respective field. The content is well-researched and compiled into an easily readable format for the benefit of students. Students can refer to these resources with ease and learn things at their own pace. Most importantly all the content on Vedantu is provided for free and it can be easily downloaded into PDF from both the website and mobile application of Vedantu.

4. How can I download reading material from Vedantu?

Accessing material from Vedantu is extremely easy and student-friendly. Students have to simply visit the website of  Vedantu and create an account. Once you have created the account you can simply explore the subjects and chapters that you are looking for. Click on the download button available on the website on Vedantu to download the reading material in PDF format. You can also access all the resources by downloading the Vedantu app from the play store.

5. What are the Ways of Controlling the Dowry System?

To control the dowry system here are various steps:

Educate your daughters.

Motivate your daughter to be independent and responsible enough to carry out their own work .

Encourage gender equality.

Do not encourage of taking or giving of dowry

6. When the Dowry System Started?

During British time the practice of the dowry system has become mandatory, in India dowry system represents as to inform of giving cash like lots of jewellery and other demands offered by the party.

7. What are the Elements of Dowry Deaths?

Here are a few elements mentioned below:

Acid Attack.

Domestic violence.

Women humiliation.

Essay on Dowry System for Students and Children

500+ words essay on dowry system.

Dowry system is followed in India since a very long time. Our ancestors started this system for valid reasons but now it is leading to issues and problems in society. In this essay on dowry, we will see what dowry exactly is, how it started, and why it should be stopped now.

essay on dowry system

History Of Dowry

Dowry system started even before the British period. In those days, society does not use to consider dowry as a “Money” or “Fee” you have to pay to be brides parents.

The idea behind the dowry system was, to make sure the bride will be financially stable after getting married. The intentions were very clear. Brides parents used to give money, land, assets to the bride as a “Gift” to make sure their daughter will be happy and independent after marriage.

But when British rule came into the picture, they restricted women to own any property. Women were not allowed to buy any property, land or assets. Hence, men started owning all the “Gifts” given to the bride by her parents.

This rule changed pure dowry system into a mess! Now parents of the bride were looking at their bride as a source of income. Parents started hating their daughters and wanted only sons. They started demanding money as a dowry. Women were suppressed since they did not have equal rights as men. And since then, grooms parents follow this rule to their advantage.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Why the Dowry System Should be Stopped?

The new dowry system is creating problems in society. Poor parents do not get any groom who will marry their daughter without taking dowry. They have to take “Marriage Loans” to get their daughter married.

Dowry is becoming a nightmare for Women. The cases of infanticide are increasing. Poor parents do not have any other option. They cannot afford to have a girl child, and hence they are intentionally killing infant girl. More than 8000 women are killed because of Dowry!

It is very clear that Dowry is creating violence. Groom’s parents are misusing this pure tradition. And they are not aware that they are misusing it, because they are not educated about the traditional dowry system. Everyone is just following the new dowry system blindly.

Dowry is complete injustice with women and does not give women equal status in society. Because of dowry men will always be superior to women. This is creating a mess and negative environment in society.

Under the Dowry Prohibition Act, taking or giving dowry is a crime and illegal . If you see someone taking or giving dowry then you can lodge a complaint against them.

Dowry system is good unless and until it is considered as a gift given to the bride by her parents. If the groom’s parents are demanding money to get married as a “ Dowry ” then that is completely wrong and illegal.

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Paragraph On Dowry System 100, 150, 200, 250 to 300 Words for Kids, Students, and Children

February 7, 2024 by Prasanna

Paragraph On Dowry System: Dowry system is an ancient system in our country. It was introduced to show love and care and support the newly wedded. It is the process of transferring property to the groom’s family from the bride’s. The entire system has lost its true intention and has just become a social problem and a threat to society. Below are some more paragraphs for various age groups and categories.

You can read more  Paragraph Writing  about articles, events, people, sports, technology many more.

Paragraph on Dowry System – 100 Words for Classes 1, 2, and 3

Dowry is the process of transferring the father’s property to the daughter at the time of her marriage. The dowry system has been for a long time in India. Since ancient times the transfer of belongings has been taking place. The purpose of dowry is to help settle the newly wedded. This started as a gesture of love and cared towards the daughter as she leaves her birth home. But with time, it became nothing more than a process of transfer of wealth from the bride’s family to the groom’s. It is causing emotional and mental harassment to the bride’s family.

Paragraph on Dowry System - 100 Words for Classes 1, 2, and 3

Paragraph on Dowry System – 150 Words for Classes 4 and 5 Children

The Dowry system has been in India for a long time. The purpose was simple, and it started as a way to help and secure the newly wedded couple. The bride’s father gifts land, money, and various other property to the couple to make sure they don’t face trouble while settling up with their new life. But over time, it became more of a compulsion and a social issue in our society. The process was intended to benefit the newly wedded couple to start a new life. But it is now an evil side of our society, as the bride’s family is under immense pressure to pay a certain sum of money along with durables.

The dowry system has put the bride in a very delicate position. The groom’s family looks at her as an asset, and she is a liability for the bride’s family. The entire interpretation of dowry is under the question of is it a way of suppressing women? Domestic violence is often found in various parts of the nation related to dowry, and sadly most of them go unreported.

Paragraph on Dowry System – 200 Words for Classes 6, 7, and 8 Students

Dowry means transferring wealth in any form from the bride’s family to the groom’s. It is a way to showcase love and care and help the newly wedded couple start their journey without any difficulty. But with time, it has found different meanings, and as a result, young girls around the nation suffer from various crimes and domestic violence.

The Dowry system has been in our country since ever, and even after the legal intervention, it is getting harder to eradicate it for so long. The simple process of transfer of poverty has become a deep-rooted problem for our society. And many tough girls and their families have to go through hardship every time in our country.

Dowry is a punishable crime in our nation. To protect young girls from various dowry-related injustice, reports against dowry are given priority. But most crimes are never reported, the domestic violence is at an increasing rate. The lack of proper education and awareness is a major reason for these increasing crimes. Many young girls are even pushed to the face of death for dowry.

Paragraph on Dowry System – 250 to 300 Words for Classes 9, 10, 11, 12, and Competitive Exams Students

Dowry is the activity taken place at the time of marriage when the bride’s family transfers wealth to the groom’s family in the form of cash, movable properties, or immovable properties. The existence of the dowry system is hard to trace, but it has long existed in India.

The dowry system brings a dark cloud above the heads of the bride’s family. Fathers of young girls fear the day of their daughter’s marriage and save money for that particular day. In the northern part of India, the dowry system is quite more prevalent, along with casteism. Dowry is nothing but a nightmare for women. Every woman goes through the ugly phase, where she is made to feel like she is a liability.

The country is continuously fighting against the dowry system. Various NGOs have come forward and raised the issue by spreading awareness among the population. The beautiful gesture of providing a helping hand towards the newly wedded has taken an ugly turn.

Dowry is a punishable crime, and anyone who is, by any means, tries to support or even hide the truth will have to face legal consequences. Both the parties, the giver and taker, of dowry will be punished under the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961.

Paragraph on Dowry System - 250 to 300 Words for Classes 9, 10, 11, 12, and Competitive Exams Students

FAQ’s On Paragraph Dowry System

Question 1. What is the impact on dowry in the minds of young women?

Answer: The dowry system is a deep-rooted problem and has affected young women mentally, emotionally, and physically. The demand for money or any assets makes the young woman a liability to her parents. The impact is far more than what has been reported so far or the officials’ reports.

Young women every year suffer in the hands of in-laws for the dowry system. Baby girls were believed to be a curse in many rural parts of the country. All in all, young women have suffered a lot due to the dowry system’s existence.

Question 2. When was the dowry system started?

Answer: The dowry system can be traced back to medieval times. The purpose was to make the bride independent after marriage and to support the newly wedded couple to start a new life.

Question 3. What is the average dowry in India?

Answer: The amount of dowry varies depending upon many factors, primarily economic. Thus, for a low-income family it may start around 3 Lakhs of rupees, on average.

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Cultural India

Dowry system in india – causes, effects & solution.

Marriage is an integral part of society, a source of joy and festivities as well as of new beginnings. Yet, one of the longest standing evils associated with marriage from a woman’s point of view in the Indian society is the Dowry system. Despite a lot being said and done against the custom, it is still prevalent in the 21st century, in both subtle and obvious ways. The root of a host of social atrocities against women, the custom of presenting dowry is the crudest expression of the male-dominance in the society. It is most often the mandatory custom of a girl’s parents having to provide a considerable amount of cash, gold in the form of jewelry, electronic equipment, movable or immovable properties, to the groom and his family, at the time of marriage. Although the origin of the custom lies with parents trying to assure financial stability for their daughters, in current perspective it has translated into parents paying up for the assurance of well-being of their daughters. The jewelry and cash that a bride brings with her from her parents’ house is often referred to as “Streedhan” and in theory is the property of the girl, but in reality it is often treated as their rightful due by the groom’s family. The sum to be paid as dowry has no set standard, the yardstick greatly depends on the groom’s profession/social standing and is often perceived as the groom’s family as the compensation of efforts they have made to educate their boy. In a more subtle perspective, one may define this custom as the unquestioned idea that the girl’s family is inferior in standing with the boy’s family, no matter what her qualities are. Thus they need to be on their best behavior and offer lavish “gifts” to please the boy’s family. This ideal is so ingrained in the psyche of a large number of Indians, they either practically ruin themselves financially in order to pay for the appropriate price of the chosen groom, or make a bid to eradicate the prospect of this financial burden by selective gender-biased abortion or female infanticide.This exploitative system that has turned the custom of giving gifts and well wishes into a compulsory demand for money, respect and subjugation, is the one of the major contributing factors hindering the growth of the Indian society where being a woman is still viewed synonymous to being a burden.

Causes of Dowry System

1. Greed Factor – dowry demands often is exemplary of the collective greed of the society. Extortion in the name of social standing, compensation for the cost of groom’s education, his financial stability is a key feature of Indian marriages. Demands are put forward shamelessly and are expected to be met with silence. Threats of withdrawing the proposal looms on the bride’s family’s head at the cost of losing face in the community, and portions of the agreed upon sum is often demanded before the actual ceremony.

2. Society Structure – the dowry system is largely the manifestation of the patriarchal nature of the Indian society where men are considered superior to women in aspects of physical and mental capabilities. With the backdrop of such societal structure, women are often considered second-tier citizens, fit to assume only domesticated roles. Such perceptions are often associated of them being treated as a burden in economic terms first by the father and then by the husband. This feeling is further compounded by the dowry system which fuels the belief that girl child is a potential cause of drain of family finances.

3. Religious Dictates – Religious constraints imposed by the society on marriage customs, mainly suitability of groom have a contributing factor towards the dowry problem. These constraints do not condone inter-religious marriages or even between different religious sects and a suitable groom has to be found from the same religious backgrounds. These restrictions limit the number of suitable matches. Boys of marriageable age with desirable qualifications become a prize and this in turn encourages the practice of the catch being caught by the highest bidder.

4. Social Constraints – Aside from similar religious backgrounds, further constrains are imposed based on caste system and social status. Practices like caste endogamy and clan exogamy, has to be kept in mind while arranging a match. Preferred matches have to belong to the same caste, different clan and same or higher social standings. These limitations again severely deplete the pool of marriageable men leading to similar consequences for demanding dowry.

5. Social Status of Women – the inferior social standing of women in Indian society is so deep-rooted in the psyche of the nation, that this treatment of them as mere commodities is accepted without question, not only by the family but by the women themselves. When marriage is viewed as the ultimate achievement for women, evil practices like dowry takes its roots deeper in the society.

6. Illiteracy – lack of formal education is another cause for the prevalence of the dowry system. A large number of women are deliberately kept from schools either due to certain superstitions or from the belief that educating girls will take away from their eligibility as good wives.

7. Propulsion Towards Adhering to Customs – Indians value traditions a lot and they tend not to question customs. They follow traditions blindly and provide dowry because it is the norm handed down through generations.

8. Urge to Show Off – dowry is often a means for showing off social stature in our country. One’s worth in society is often measured by how much one spends in daughter’s wedding or how much gold one gives to them. This perspective heavily justifies the practice of dowry demands. The boy’s family in turns gains new heights of social standings based of the amount of dowry their new bride brings in which is indicator of how desirable their boy was in the marriage market.

Effects of Dowry System

1. Short Term Effects of Dowry System – these effects of the dowry system are immediate and are a permanent fixture in the daily news.

a. Injustice towards girls – dowry bears a huge financial obligation for the bride’s family. As a consequence, a girl child is viewed a possible source of drain on the family’s finances, ultimately an onus. This view evolves into gigantic proportions taking the shape of infanticides and feticides of girl child. Girls are often marginalized in the areas of education where boys of the family are given preference. They are thrust towards domestic chores from a very early age. A host of restrictions are imposed on them in the name of family honour and they are made to stay indoors. Child marriages are still practiced because age is counted as an index of purity. It also stems from the belief that young girls can be better molded into the household roles than older girls. The amount of dowry increases according to the girl’s age, fuelling the practice.

b. Violence against women – contrary to hopeful parents, dowry is often not a one-time pay up. Demands are continuously made by the husband’s family who consider the girl’s family as a never ending source of finance. Inability by the girl’s family often leads to verbal abuse, domestic violence and even deaths. Brides being burned by the in-laws are hardly a novelty in this country. Continuous physical and mental torture instigates women to go into depression and commit suicide. 2016 figures indicate that in India, 20 women die every day due to dowry related issues.

c. Economic burden – getting a girl married is associated with a hefty amount of money by Indian parents due to direct or subtle demands for dowry by the groom’s family. Families often borrow heavily, mortgage properties leading to major decline in economic health.

d. Gender inequality – the idea of paying dowry in order to get a girl married generates an increased sense of inequality among the genders, placing men superior to women. Young girls are kept from schools while their brothers are given access to education. They are regarded incompetent for roles other than housework and are often discouraged from taking up jobs. Their opinions are suppressed, not valued or ignored more often than not. Physical and behavioral restrictions are imposed on girls that are completely natural for boys.

2. Long Term Effects of Dowry System – the short term effects lead to the following long-term consequences

a. Gender imbalance – the much abhorred practices like abortion of female fetuses and killing of girl babies have resulted into an unnaturally skewed child sex ratio (CSR) in India. In states like Haryana and Rajasthan where these practices are most prevalent, the CSR stands at 830 girls per 1000 boys. This in turn leads to peculiar practices like polyandry and an increase in violence against women.

b. Loss of self-esteem in women – in a country which has experienced centuries of inferior attitude towards women, it is very hard to maintain a high level of self-regard if you are a woman. Naturally, women themselves are bound in the shackles of an idea that they are incapable of any contributions to the society. Their sense of self-worth hits rock bottom and they are increasingly subjugated to injustice.

c. Status of women –practices like dowry are social evils and a huge deterrent towards improvement of social status of women in India. Inferiority of women has been impressed upon the minds of the nation time and again by the demands of dowry.

Solutions to Dowry System

1. Law – several laws have been enacted to prohibit the practice of dowry and the injustice against women stemming from it. The Dowry Prohibition Act was passed on 20th May, 1961 with an aim to eradicate the evil practice from the society. The act declares not only the practice of accepting dowry unlawful, but also penalizes giving of the same. It includes property, valuable security like cash and jewelry exchanging hand during the marriage. Making demands of dowry is punishable by a minimum imprisonment of 5 years and a minimum fine of 15,000 rupees. Incidences of cruelty by the husband or his family against the wife have been addressed in the Section 498A of the Indian Penal Code and Section 198A in the Criminal Procedure Code. Section 113A added in the Indian Evidence Act further provides the family of the bride to charge the husband’s family of abetting suicide of their daughter within 7 years from the date of marriage.

2. Enforcement – it is never enough to just introduce acts and amend sections to fight against a social evil. This requires strict and ruthless enforcement of such laws. That aspect still leaves a lot to be desired. Although such allegations are taken very seriously by the authorities, lack of proper investigative procedures often leads to the accused going free. The government needs to ensure a zero-tolerance policy for such offenders and ensure enforcement of the law through systemic changes.

3. Social Awareness – creating a widespread awareness against the evils of the dowry system is key first step towards eradicating the practice.Campaigns should be designed to reach the deepest strata of the society and aim to spread knowledge about the legal provisions against dowry. There also is the need to promote the need for educating the girl children.

4. Education and self-dependence of women – education is not just required to find your vocation in life, it is essential to gain eyes and ears to a world beyond the one you can immediately see. It is important or all of us to emphasize on educating the girls in order to fight widespread social evils like dowry. Knowledge of their rights will enable them to speak up against practice of dowry and ongoing marginalization. They will also be able to strive for self-dependence and not view marriage as their only salvation.

5. Overhaul of mindsets –India as a country requires major overhaul of its existing mindsets in order to push back against the iniquitous custom of dowry. They need to realise the fact that in today’s society women are perfectly capable of doing anything that men can. Women themselves need to come out of the belief that they are inferior to men and they need to depend on men to provide for them.

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Dowry System Essay

Dowry System Essay | Essay on Dowry System for Students and Children in English

Dowry System Essay: In a patriarchal society such as ours that accords sub-ordinate status to women, the position of a girl child is indeed vulnerable. In case of financial difficulties, it is the girl child whose education is sacrificed in order to manage the household and take care of the other younger children at home. The dowry system, deeply rooted in the culture and customs of most communities in India, is a cause of harassment for most women. This has led to a situation where the girl child is treated as a guest in her own home.

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Long and Short Essays on Dowry System for Kids and Students in English

Given below are two essays in English for students and children about the topic of ‘Dowry System’ in both long and short form. The first essay is a long essay on Dowry System of 400-500 words. This long essay about Dowry System is suitable for students of class 7, 8, 9 and 10, and also for competitive exam aspirants. The second essay is a short essay on Dowry System of 150-200 words. These are suitable for students and children in class 6 and below.

Long Essay on Dowry System 500 Words in English

Below we have given a long essay on Dowry System of 500 words is helpful for classes 7, 8, 9 and 10 and Competitive Exam Aspirants. This long essay on the topic is suitable for students of class 7 to class 10, and also for competitive exam aspirants.

Dowry means the demand made by the bridegroom’s family from the bride’s parents for the payment of money as well as other costly gifts like land, house, clothes and jewels, a condition precedent to the alliance. Dowry, in fact, is not a recent development. History is full of examples where daughters have been married off with immense wealth given to them at the time of wedding.

Gifts, presents and things given to the daughter in marriage are nothing bad in itself. It is a token of her parent’s love and happiness. Even the Bible preaches. Ask me never so much dowry and gifts, and I will give according as ye shall say unto me: but give me the damsel to wife.”

When the groom’s family tries to extract the expenses made by them on their son’s upbringing and education from the bride’s family, it takes the shape of dowry. Dowry thus smears the sacred relationship of marriage and converts it into a base, mean and cheap financial deal.

There are several reasons for the occurrence of the dowry system, but the core reason is that it is considered a necessary pre-condition for marriage. Other being that, female based inheritance was not legal in India until law reforms in the 1950’s, so dowry may have begun as a form of legal inheritance for daughters. However, as the system evolved, dowry has become a greater financial burden on bride’s family. The price tag for the groom is now bigger and bolder. ‘No dowry, no marriage’ is a widespread fear. Dowry as a phenomenon has gone beyond the ritual of marriage. Pregnancy, childbirth and all kinds of religious and family functions are occasions when such demands are made. A more sophisticated public image of an extended gifting session has replaced the old system. Now there is demand for exclusive reception or destination wedding. The trousseau includes designer wear for the bride and groom’s family. Chefs are flown in for multi cuisine wedding dinners. The bride’s family usually pays for all this.

Another major reason for the existence of dowry system and its atrocities is the lack of women’s education. They remain unaware of their rights. The lack of education also lead%to their lack of empowerment. They remain economically dependent on others and fail to be the masters of their own life. Another cause of dowry is the rigid caste system prevalent in our society. Parents are determined to marry their daughters to a boy of their own caste, they are left with restricted choice of suitable boys and thus parents are compelled to subdue to the demands of the groom’s family.

This ends up like choosing between many evils. Moreover, the tendency of marrying daughters at an early age without paying attention to their education and career, pushes them to a bleak future without any self-confidence and education. The tendency of parents to get a rich boy to marry their daughter off further increases the pressure of dowry on them.

Shockingly, even after so much gifting and exchanges, one woman dies every hour due to dowry related reason on an average in the country, which has seen a steady rise between 2007 to 2011, according to official data. The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) statistics show that 91,202 dowry deaths were reported in the country from 1 st January, 2001 to 31 st December, 2012. Bihar and Uttar Pradesh record the maximum number of dowry crimes, but Bengaluru, India’s fastest growing city also shows an alarming rise where four women reportedly die every day because of dowry harassment and domestic violence. The cases of dowry torture are the highest accounting for 32.4% of crimes against women in the country.

Even the social reformers like Mahatma Gandhi, Swami Dayanand tried their best to create a social consciousness against this practice. Dowry became prohibited by law under the 1961 Dowry Prohibition Act in Indian, Civil Law and subsequently by Section 304B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) with the purpose of prohibiting the demanding, giving and taking of dowry. To stop offences of cruelty by the husband or his relatives against the wife, Section 498A was added to the IPC and Section 198A to the Criminal Procedure Code in 1983. Although providing dowry is illegal, it is still common in many parts and sections of India in lieu of government regulated equal rights for girls in parental property.

Time and again, women groups have protested against many cases of dowry deaths. A national campaign focussed on humiliating and socially boycotting the families in these cases was held. The campaign also demanded that mysterious deaths be presumed to be murders until investigated and proved otherwise by the police. To counter this social menace, group compromising 15 to 16 NGOs have been created. Independent social workers working in localities have also been roped in for the project. Volunteers, hailing from the Mahila Panchayats and other such committees have also been incorporated in the project. Serious activism, special police cells for women, media support, heightened awareness of dowry being a crime, has been done.

Short Essay on Dowry System 200 Words in English

Below we have given a short essay on Dowry System is for Classes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. This short essay on the topic is suitable for students of class 6 and below.

Other life-saving mechanism includes Womens Action Research and Legal Action for Women (WARLAW): led by Attorney Rani Jethmalani of New Delhi, this is a group of dedicated attorneys, who provide free legal protection and assistance to the dowry victims in India. There are many specialised centres which help women to be self-supporting by training them in crafts, like knitting, sewing etc. Other groups run small shelter homes for helpless women.

Despite the amendments made to the Dowry Act in 1983, there are certain loopholes that need to be checked. There is an urgent need to promote mass communication and education programmes to publicise anti-dowry ideology through drama, street plays, music, movies, radio and television programmes, books, periodicals, journals, handbills and other audio-visual media. Methods like interviews, group/panel discussions, meetings, seminars, conferences, internet discussions, legal, psychological, spiritual and social remedies should be adopted to wipe out the evil of dowry and bride burning.

Women should be encouraged and educated, so that they become self-reliant. Time is now changing. Educated girls have now taken upon themselves to combat this evil in our society. Girls like Nisha Sharma, Farzana and Vidya Balasubramanian have been courageous enough to call off their weddings at the last moment because of the dowry demands, yet a lot needs to be done. It is high time that the society should realise the dignity of a woman, the sacredness and sanctity of marriage and unite to fight against the evil custom of dowry.

Dowry System Essay Word Meanings for Simple Understanding

  • Vulnerable – exposed to the possibility of being attacked or harmed, either physically or emotionally
  • Smear – to spread a substance across a surface by rubbing
  • Inheritance – property passing at the owner’s death to the heir or those entitled to succeed
  • Trousseau – the clothes, linen, and other belongings collected for marriage
  • Atrocities – an extremely wicked or cruel act, typically one Involving physical violence or injury
  • Bleak – not hopeful or encouraging, unlikely to have a favourable outcome, miserable
  • Prohibited – banned, prevent, hinder
  • Boycott – shun, reject, withdraw from commercial or social as a punishment or protest
  • Menace – a threatening quality, dangerous
  • Amendment – a minor change or addition designed to improve a text, piece of legislation, etc, an alteration of or addition to a motion, bill, constitution, etc
  • Combat – to fight, oppose
  • Sanctity – quality of being holy, sacred, ultimate importance, purity

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Short Essay: Dowry System

The dowry system, a social evil prevalent in various parts of the world, especially in India, involves the transfer of parental property, gifts, or money at the marriage of a daughter. This practice can lead to severe societal issues, including financial stress on the bride’s family and, in extreme cases, violence against women. Writing a short essay on the dowry system requires an understanding of its implications, historical roots, and the measures needed to combat it effectively. Here’s a step-by-step guide to crafting a concise, informative essay on this complex topic.

Table of Contents

Title and Introduction

Title : Choose a title that reflects the critical stance against the dowry system, such as “The Dowry System: A Challenge to Social Justice in Modern Society.”

Body of the Essay

Legal Framework and Efforts to Combat the Dowry System :

Summarize the key points discussed in your essay, emphasizing the urgency of addressing the dowry system’s issues. Conclude with a call to action, suggesting ways in which society, government, and individuals can work together to eradicate this harmful practice. This might include educational campaigns, stronger legal enforcement, or community support systems.

Dowry System Essay Example #1

The dowry system, prevalent in many societies, has long been a cause for concern due to its detrimental effects on gender equality and women’s rights. In this essay, we delve into the dowry system, its causes, consequences, and potential solutions.

The consequences of the dowry system are far-reaching and detrimental. Women who are unable to meet dowry demands often face physical, emotional, and psychological abuse from their husbands and in-laws. The burden of dowry puts immense financial strain on the bride’s family, often leading to debt and poverty. Moreover, the dowry system reinforces gender inequalities, as it implies that women are commodities to be bought and sold, diminishing their worth and agency within marriage.

In conclusion, the dowry system continues to be a menace to gender equality and women’s rights. It is essential to address the root causes and consequences of this harmful practice. Through education, legal reforms, and economic empowerment, we can strive towards a society that upholds gender equality, respects the dignity of women, and eliminates the dowry system, thereby creating a more just and equitable future for all.

Dowry System Essay Example #2

The dowry system refers to the practice of the bride’s family providing substantial gifts, money, or property to the groom’s family during marriage. Originally intended to support the newlyweds, it has evolved into a system of exploitation and inequality. The dowry system varies across cultures and regions, but it consistently perpetuates gender discrimination, reinforces patriarchal norms, and places financial burdens on the bride’s family.

The dowry system is sustained by a combination of factors, including deeply ingrained patriarchal values, societal expectations, and economic factors. Gender inequality, where women are seen as inferior and dependent, fuels the demand for dowry. The consequences of the dowry system are grave and far-reaching, ranging from financial strain and debt to physical and emotional abuse of women, and even dowry-related violence and dowry deaths.

Dowry System Essay Example #3

The dowry system remains a pervasive social issue in numerous cultures, perpetuating gender inequality and subjecting women to economic and emotional exploitation. This essay delves into the dowry system, examining its historical roots, exploring the factors that sustain it, elucidating its consequences on individuals and society, and proposing potential avenues for change. By shedding light on this entrenched practice, we can foster understanding and advocate for measures that promote gender equality and eradicate the harmful effects of the dowry system.

The dowry system has historical origins intertwined with cultural norms and traditions. It emerged as a way to provide financial support to newlywed couples, ensuring their well-being. However, over time, it has transformed into a mechanism that perpetuates gender-based discrimination and unequal power dynamics within marriages. Cultural expectations and societal pressures play a significant role in upholding this system, as it is seen as a way to maintain social status, reinforce gender roles, and consolidate family alliances.

The consequences of the dowry system are profound and multifaceted. Women are often subjected to physical and emotional abuse, as their worth is reduced to the monetary value of the dowry. Financial burdens on the bride’s family can lead to debt, impoverishment, and limited opportunities for education and personal growth. The dowry system perpetuates gender inequality, reinforcing harmful stereotypes, limiting women’s agency, and hindering their overall empowerment and social progress.

The dowry system persists as a deeply entrenched social issue, perpetuating gender inequality and subjecting women to various forms of exploitation. By unraveling its historical roots, understanding its causes, and advocating for comprehensive change, we can strive towards a society that values gender equality, rejects dowry-based practices, and fosters environments where individuals are respected, empowered, and free from the shackles of inequity.

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Dowry System Essay

Dowry is basically the cash, jewellery, furniture, property and other tangible items given by the bride’s family to the bridegroom and his parents during the event of marriage and this system is called Dowry System. It has been prevalent in India since centuries. Dowry system is one of the evil systems prevalent in the society. It is said to be as old as the human civilization and is rampant in many societies across the globe.

Long and Short Essay on Dowry System in English

We have provided below essay on dowry System in English for your information and knowledge. The essays have been written in simple yet effective English language for you so that they can be easily remembered and presented when needed.

After going through these dowry System essay you will know what is dowry system; what are its impact on the society and the victims; why dowry system is a crime and should be banned; what laws are implemented by the government to eliminate dowry system etc.

These Dowry system essays can be helpful in school or college essay writing, speech giving or debate competitions.

Dowry System Essay – 1 (200 words)

Dowry system entails giving huge amount of cash, jewellery and other gifts to the groom’s family by the bride’s parents as a condition at the time of marriage. The system was put in place due to a reason in India and that was that until a few decades back the girl child did not have any right over the parental property and other fixed assets and was given liquid assets such as cash, jewellery and other goods to give her a fair share. However, it has turned into an evil social system over the years.

The wealth and property that parents intend to give her daughter as a part of the dowry so that she can be self sufficient at the new place is unfortunately, in most cases, all taken by the groom’s family. Besides, while earlier this was a voluntary decision of the bride’s parents it has become more of an obligation for them these days.

Many cases of brides being tortured physically and emotionally for not bringing enough dowry have come up. In many cases, the bride turns to her family to meet the demands of her in-laws while others end up giving their lives to end the torture. It is time the government of India should take strict action to stop this evil practice.

Dowry System Essay – 2 (300 words)

Introduction

The dowry system, that includes the bride’s family offering gifts in the form of cash and kind to the groom’s family, is largely condemned by the society however some people argue that it has its own advantages and that people are still following it only because it does hold importance for the brides and benefits them in certain ways.

Are There Any Advantages of the Dowry System?

Many couples these days choose to live independently and it is said that dowry that mostly includes gifting cash, furniture, car and other such assets acts as a financial support for them and helps them to begin their new life on a good note. As both the bride and groom have just begun their career and are not that sound financially they cannot afford such huge expenses all at once. But is it a valid reason? If this is the case then both the families should invest in getting them settled rather than putting the entire burden on the bride’s family. Moreover, this should hold good if the families can afford to offer financial help to the newly wed without coming under debt or lowering their own standard of living.

Many also argue that those girls who are not good looking can find grooms by meeting the latter’s financial demands. It is unfortunate that girls are seen as a burden and marrying them off as they enter their twenties is the priority of their parents who are willing to do anything for the same. Providing huge dowry in such cases works and this evil practice seems as a boon for those who are able to find (buy) groom for their daughters. However, it is time such mind set should be changed.

The supporters of dowry system also state that providing huge amount of gifts to the groom and his family raises the status of the bride in the family. However, statistics reveal that in most cases it has worked against the girls.

The advocators of dowry system may come up with various unreasonable reasons to support the system but the fact remains that it does more harm than good to the society as a whole.

Dowry System Essay – 3 (400 words)

Dowry System that initiated as a decent practice to help the girls financially as they took on the new phase of their life has gradually turned evil. Just as child marriage, child labour, caste system and gender inequality, dowry system is also one of the evil social systems that needs to be eradicated for the society to prosper. However, unfortunately despite the efforts made by the government as well as various social groups, this heinous system is still very much a part of the society.

Why is Dowry System Still Intact?

The question remains that even after making dowry a punishable offense and spreading awareness about the ill-effects of this system through several campaigns why do people still practice it? Here are some of the main reasons why the dowry system remains intact despite being condemned by the masses:

  • In the Name of Tradition

The system of the bride’s family giving gifts to the groom and his family in the form of jewellery, cash, clothes, property, furniture and other assets is being practiced since decades. It has been given the name of tradition in various parts of the country and when the occasion is as pious as wedding, people cannot dare to neglect any tradition. People are following it blindly even though it is a burden for the bride’s family in majority of the cases.

  • Status Symbol

For some, the dowry system is more of a status symbol. The bigger car they give and the greater amount of cash they give to the groom’s family the more it boosts the status of both the families. Hence, even though they cannot afford many families end up throwing lavish wedding functions and giving numerous gifts to the groom and his relatives. It has become more of a competition these days. Everyone wants to beat the other.

  • Lack of Strict Laws

While the government has made dowry a punishable offence, the law has not been implemented strictly. There is no check on the exchange of gifts and dowry given during marriages. These loopholes are one of the main reasons why this evil practice still exists.

Apart from these, gender inequality and illiteracy are also major contributors to this heinous social system.

It is sad how even after completely understanding the ill effects of the dowry system people in India still continue to practice it. It is time people in the country should join hands to eradicate this problem.

Dowry System Essay – 4 (500 words)

Dowry system has been prevalent in our society as well as many other societies across the globe since times immemorial. While it started as helping the daughters to be self sufficient and financially independent as they moved to the new place over the period of time it has turned into a heinous practice that rather than empowering the women has turned against them.

Dowry is a Curse to the Society

Dowry, the practice of giving gifts in the form of cash, property and other assets by the bride’s family to the groom and groom’s family, can actually be termed as a curse to the society especially to the women. It has given rise to several crimes against women. Here is a look at the various troubles this system creates for the brides and their family members:

  • Financial Burden on the Family

The parents of a girl child begin saving for her ever since she is born. They keep saving for the wedding for years as they are responsible for conducting the entire affair right from decoration to catering to renting the banquet. And as if this wasn’t enough, they also require giving huge amount of gifts to the groom, his family as well as his relatives. Some people end up borrowing money from their relatives and friends while others take loans from bank to meet the demands.

  • Lowers Standard of Living

The bride’s parents end up spending so much on their daughter’s marriage that they often end up lowering their standard of living. Many end up in debt and spend the rest of their lives repaying it.

  • Gives Rise to Corruption

Giving dowry and organizing a decent enough wedding function is something that cannot be escaped for those who have a girl child. They need to accumulate money for the same no matter what and in the event many give in to corrupt means such as taking bribes, forging tax or conducting certain business activities using unfair means.

  • Emotional Stress for the Girl

The in-laws often compare the gifts brought by their daughter-in-law by those brought by other girls in their vicinity and pass sarcastic remarks making her feel tormented. Girls often feel emotionally stress due to this and some even undergo depression.

  • Physical Abuse

While some in-laws make it a habit to be sarcastic with their daughter-in law and leave no occasion to humiliate and bad mouth her others take to physical abuse. Several cases of women being hit and burned because of their inability of fulfilling the huge dowry demands keep surfacing every now and then.

  • Female Foeticide

A girl child is seen as a burden for the family. It is the dowry system that has given rise to female foeticides. Female foetus is aborted by several couples. The cases of girl child being abandoned are also common in India.

The practice of dowry is strongly condemned. The government has also passed law making dowry a punishable offence however it is still being practiced in most parts of the country causing agony for the girls and their families.

Dowry System Essay – 5 (600 words)

Dowry System has been a dominant part of the Indian society. In many parts it is known to be embedded in the culture and has become more of a ritual. This undue custom of the bride’s parents giving away expensive gifts in the form of cash and kind during her wedding started as a way of empowering the women as they began their new life at a completely new place.

Initially, cash, jewellery and other such gifts were given to the bride however the sole purpose of the system has deviated over the period of time and the gifts are now given to groom, his parents and relatives. The jewellery, cash and other stuff given to the bride are also kept in safe by her in-laws. A number of factors such as illiteracy, gender inequality and lack of strict laws against this system have given rise to this evil practice.

Laws against Dowry System

Dowry system is one of the most heinous social systems in the Indian society. It has also given rise to several issues such as female foeticide, abandoning of girl child, financial problems in the girl’s family, unfair means to earn money, emotional and physical abuse of the daughter-in-law. In order to curb this problem, the government has come up with laws making dowry a punishable act. Here is a detailed look at these laws:

The Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961

By way of this act a legal system to monitor the give and take of dowry was put in place. As per this act, a penalty is imposed in the event of dowry exchange. The punishment involves a minimum of 5 years of imprisonment and a minimum fine of INR 15,000 or the dowry amount based on whichever is greater. A demand for dowry is equally punishable. Any direct or indirect demand for dowry could lead to 6 months of imprisonment and a fine of INR 10,000.

Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005

Many women are abused emotionally and physically for not meeting the dowry demands of their in laws. This law has been put in place in order to empower women against such abuse. It protects women from domestic violence. All forms of abuse including physical, emotional, verbal, economic and sexual are punishable under this law. The punishment for different types and severity of abuse vary.

Possible Ways to Eradicate Dowry System

Despite the laws inflicted by the government, the dowry system still has a strong hold in the society. Here are a few solutions for eradicating this problem:

Lack of education is one of the main contributors to social practices such as dowry system, caste system and child labour. People must be educated to promote logical and reasonable thinking to get rid of belief systems that give rise to such evil practices.

  • Empowering Women

Instead of looking for a well-settled groom for their daughters and investing all their savings in the wedding, people must spend on the latter’s education and make her self-dependent. Women must continue to work even after their marriage and focus their energy on productive things rather than succumbing to the sarcastic remarks of in-laws. Women must also be made aware of their rights and how they can use them to guard themselves from any kind of abuse.

  • Gender Equality

Gender inequality that exists at the core of our society is one of the main reasons for dowry system. From a very early age, children must be taught how both males and females have equal rights and are not superior/ inferior to each other.

Apart from this campaigns should be held to sensitize the issue and the laws set by the government must be made more stringent.

Dowry system is the cause of agony for the girl and her family. The solutions mentioned here must be taken seriously and incorporated in the system to get rid of this problem. The government and general public must join hands to eradicate this system.

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Essay on Dowry System in India

Students are often asked to write an essay on Dowry System in India in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Dowry System in India

Introduction.

Dowry system is a social evil prevalent in India. It involves the transfer of gifts, money, or property from the bride’s family to the groom’s at marriage.

Present Scenario

Today, the dowry system has become a burden and a social evil. Many families demand unreasonable amounts of dowry, leading to issues like harassment and violence.

This system has severe effects. It promotes gender inequality and often leads to crimes against women, including domestic violence.

250 Words Essay on Dowry System in India

The dowry system, a deep-rooted social evil in Indian society, is the practice of giving gifts, money, or property by the bride’s family to the groom’s family at the time of marriage. This tradition, originally intended as a form of financial security for the bride, has evolved into a significant socio-economic issue, often leading to extortion and violence.

Historical Perspective

The dowry system traces back to ancient times when it was considered a share of parental property given to the daughter at her marriage. Over time, it transformed into a mandatory custom, perpetuating gender inequality and fostering a materialistic approach to the sacred union of marriage.

Social Implications

The dowry system has far-reaching social implications. It reinforces patriarchal norms, devalues women, and often results in domestic violence, mental harassment, and even dowry deaths. It also places a heavy financial burden on the bride’s family, leading to adverse economic and psychological effects.

Legal Framework and Challenges

The Dowry Prohibition Act of 1961 criminalizes the practice of dowry. However, enforcement remains a challenge due to societal norms, lack of awareness, and inadequate reporting of dowry-related crimes.

The eradication of the dowry system requires a multi-dimensional approach. It calls for stringent law enforcement, increased public awareness, and a fundamental shift in societal attitudes towards gender equality. It is only through collective effort that we can dismantle this oppressive tradition and pave the way for a more equitable society.

500 Words Essay on Dowry System in India

Historical context.

The dowry system can be traced back to the ancient Hindu scriptures of the Manusmriti, which codified the practice as a part of the marriage ritual. However, it was initially a voluntary act, and the wealth remained in the bride’s name as ‘Streedhan’, intended to provide for her in case of any eventualities. Over time, the system underwent a perverse transformation, becoming a mandatory and exploitative practice.

The Contemporary Scenario

In modern times, the dowry system has become a social evil, leading to numerous social, psychological, and economic issues. The groom’s family often demands exorbitant amounts, leading to financial stress for the bride’s family. This practice further propagates gender inequality, reinforcing the notion that women are burdens to their families.

The Social Impact

The dowry system has significant social implications. It reinforces patriarchal norms, devalues women, and perpetuates the perception of females as liabilities. It also leads to crimes against women, including domestic violence, harassment, and dowry deaths. The fear of not being able to meet dowry demands also leads to female foeticide and infanticide, skewing the gender ratio in the society.

Economic Consequences

Legal measures and their efficacy.

The Indian government has enacted several laws to curb the dowry system, including the Dowry Prohibition Act of 1961. However, the implementation of these laws has been weak, and the social acceptance of the practice makes it difficult to eradicate.

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dowry system essay in english

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Short Essay on Dowry System [100, 200, 400 Words] With PDF

In today’s session, you will learn how you can actually write short essays on Dowry System within a predetermined word limit. There is going to be three different sets of essays covering different word limits.

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Short Essay on Dowry System in 100 Words

Dowry is a marital ritual prevalent in several parts of India and also in different parts of the world as well. Dowry means giving money, materials, gold which the bride’s family pays to the groom. It is impossible to bear a dual expenditure of both the marriage and the dowry. Sometimes, a huge amount of cash is forcibly demanded by the groom.

This denigrates the girl into a commodity who is sold to her in-laws. In rural India, dowry is still prominent practice, where daughters of poor fathers are mercilessly tortured and killed if they fail to provide a good dowry. Presently, laws like the Dowry Prohibition Act have been implemented since 1961, where giving and accepting dowry are severely dealt with.

Short Essay on Dowry System in 200 Words

The term dowry refers to a ritual of a father giving her daughter some essential goods during the marriage, which will facilitate her a better living in her new household. Dowry at the beginning was a voluntary action, where the bride’s parents gifted the newlywed couple things of their choice and financial ability. But presently it is often a forced action of the groom’s family to make the bride pay luxurious materials for themselves.

The dowry system is an evil process where her parents are obliged to pay everything for their daughter, lest she is tortured and abused for it. Dowry is a huge crisis for the bride and her family on several counts. It drains all financial savings of one family and leaves them, pauper. Also, this dowry nowhere ensures the safety of the young girl. Rather It involves a risk of her life, since, in severe instances, she is murdered by her in-laws’.

Thus Indian government has taken a strict step to stop this evil. The Dowry Prohibition Act in 1961 ensures that women are no longer treated as a commodity or an additional burden. Dowry also provokes polygamy, where a groom marries several prospectus brides to sack dowry. This is a criminal practice and involves charges on money and also jail. 

Short Essay on Dowry System in 400 Words

Any woman is destined to leave her parents and her house once she is married to a certain family. Her entitlement under a ceratin family makes her an intrinsic part of it, where it is the duty of the groom and his family to care for her. It is in this concept that the dowry system was started.

Since the girl as a ritual leaves her haven of the comfort of safety and comfort, her parents provide her with a voluntary sum of money, gold, and also other materials for her happiness. It escorts her to her husband, who is further reminded to look after her. As a show of honour and stability, dowry was paid by one side of the relationship to the other.

But presently, dowry is a sinful offence practised as a permanent ritual in India. The concept of sharing goods is now a forced activity, where the groom and his family forces the bride to pay them luxurious materials. In fact, dowry is associated with another crime of polygamy as well. A groom may marry several young brides for the lust of collecting dowry from different sources. Hence this dowry system is a crime, which never ensures the safety of the young girl.

The newlywed girl faces severe consequences if her father fails to provide for her as per the demands of her in-laws’. She is beaten, abused physically and verbally, and often tortured to death. Rabindranath Tagore’s story Nirupama explicitly shows the fatality of this dowry system. A woman loses her feminine individuality and is treated as next to nothing by her husband and her new family.

Constant fear of her tragic end lurks in herself and her parents. Dowry is a greater burden for poor families, where the poor father becomes a pauper while giving his child the best and thus ensuring her safety. The bride becomes a burden for society when her dowry is not up to the demanded level. She is often forced to commit suicide, unable to bear tortures.

Standing on this perspective, the Indian Government has passed the Dowry Prohibition Act in 1961 which ensures that this hideous practice is terminated everywhere. If one is found observing it, a fine of 15,000 rupees and five years of jail is given as punishments to the condemned. A girl is never a sin, nor is she a burden to her parents. She must be provided with an education and not prize money at her marriage. Dowry destroys her and reduces her to a commodity. It is social crime behind feminist issues and must be stopped whenever it takes place

I have written the essays above with a very simplistic approach for a better and easier understanding of all kinds of students. So, hopefully after going through this lesson, all your doubts regarding this context have been resolved. If you still have any queries regarding today’s session, kindly let me know through the comment section below. 

Thank you. 

Edukar India

Dowry System Essay in English for Students

  • 1 Dowry System: A Persistent Social Evil in India
  • 2 Causes of the Dowry System
  • 3 Consequences of the Dowry System
  • 4 Efforts to eliminate the Dowry System
  • 5 Conclusion
  • 6.1 Q: What is the dowry system?
  • 6.2 Q: Why is the dowry system a problem?
  • 6.3 Q: What are the legal measures in place to combat the dowry system?
  • 6.4 Q: What is the current state of the dowry system in India?
  • 6.5 Q: What can be done to eliminate the dowry system?

Dowry System Essay in English: The dowry system is a persistent social evil in India that has been plaguing the society for centuries. Despite efforts to eliminate the practice, it continues to be a major issue, causing harm to women, families and the society as a whole. In this blog post, we will delve deeper into the causes, consequences and efforts to eradicate the dowry system in India. From its historical roots to the current state of the practice, we will explore the various factors that contribute to its persistence and the impact it has on the lives of women and families. In this essay, we will explore the causes, consequences, and efforts to eliminate the dowry system in India.

Dowry System Essay

Dowry System: A Persistent Social Evil in India

The dowry system, a practice in which a bride’s family gives a large sum of money and/or gifts to the groom’s family, continues to be a major social issue in India. Despite efforts to eliminate the practice, it persists due to deep-seated societal attitudes and economic factors.

Causes of the Dowry System

The dowry system has its roots in traditional Indian society, where women were seen as a burden and a financial liability for their families. With the pressure to marry off their daughters, families would offer a dowry to the groom’s family as a way to secure a good match. This practice has been reinforced by societal pressures and expectations, as well as a patriarchal societal structure that values men over women.

Economic factors also play a significant role in the persistence of the dowry system. With a lack of job opportunities and economic mobility, many families, particularly those in low-income groups, see the dowry as a way to secure a better future for their daughters. Additionally, a lack of education and awareness about the negative effects of the dowry system also contribute to its persistence.

Consequences of the Dowry System

The dowry system has a number of harmful consequences, particularly for women. Harassment, abuse, and violence against women are common in cases where the groom’s family feels that the dowry was not sufficient. Families, particularly those in low-income groups, may also face financial burden due to the large sums of money and gifts required for the dowry.

The dowry system also has a negative impact on women’s education and employment opportunities, as families may pull their daughters out of school or prevent them from working to save money for the dowry. In extreme cases, the dowry system may even lead to the murder of women, through practices such as female foeticide and infanticide.

Efforts to eliminate the Dowry System

There have been a number of efforts to eliminate the dowry system in India. The Dowry Prohibition Act, passed in 1961, criminalizes the giving and taking of dowry. The government and non-government organizations have also launched campaigns and awareness programs to educate the public about the negative effects of the dowry system and promote change.

The media also plays a crucial role in highlighting the issue and promoting change. Civil society organizations and grassroots movements have also been active in raising awareness and advocating for change.

Despite these efforts, the dowry system continues to be a major social issue in India. To bring about lasting change, it is important to continue raising awareness and promoting education and empowerment for women. Additionally, addressing economic factors such as poverty and inequality will also be essential in achieving a society free from the dowry system.

Dowry system is still widely practiced in India and it leads to many negative consequences. It is important to continue to raise awareness, educate and empower women, and address economic factors to eliminate this harmful practice. Only collective effort can bring change and make a society free from the dowry system.

FAQs for “Dowry System” Essay

Q: what is the dowry system.

A: The dowry system is a practice in which a bride’s family gives a large sum of money and/or gifts to the groom’s family, traditionally as a condition for the marriage to take place. This practice is prevalent in India and some other parts of the world, and it is considered as a social evil.

Q: Why is the dowry system a problem?

A: The dowry system leads to many negative consequences, including harassment, abuse, and violence against women, financial burden on families, particularly low-income families, negative impact on women’s education and employment opportunities, and even murder of women through practices such as female foeticide and infanticide.

Q: What are the legal measures in place to combat the dowry system?

A: The Dowry Prohibition Act, passed in 1961, criminalizes the giving and taking of dowry. Additionally, there are other laws that can be used to prosecute dowry-related crimes such as the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act (PWDVA).

Q: What is the current state of the dowry system in India?

A: Despite efforts to eliminate the dowry system, it continues to be a major social issue in India. It is still widely practiced and leads to many negative consequences.

Q: What can be done to eliminate the dowry system?

A: To bring about lasting change, it is important to continue raising awareness and promoting education and empowerment for women. Additionally, addressing economic factors such as poverty and inequality will also be essential in achieving a society free from the dowry system.

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Dowry System Essay | Dowry System in India Essay in English

Dowry System Essay: Dowry system is one of India’s most formidable social evils for hundreds of years. It is an ancient system that requires the family of the bride to pay cash, gold, jewellery and other expensive gifts to the groom’s family in order to conclude the marriage. It is a great social bane that must be removed from Indian society for causing extreme harm to its fabric. The system is against women and makes them look like a burden on a family. Thus, students are often required to write a Dowry System Essay.

Dowry System Essay

Despite its distressing and deplorable effects on society, the Dowry System is still practised in a few and mostly non-urban parts of India. Hence, it is essential for us to understand how the system destroys the sanctity of marriages and has, in the past, taken many lives. Thus, we provide a Dowry System in India Essay in English to help you write a Dowry System in India Essay and help aware Indians of the social ill. We have also provided 10 points on Dowry System Essay or Dowry System in India Essay

Dowry is a formidable social evil. It has had many unmatched social impacts. It is an ancient system in which expensive items such as gold jewellery, vehicles, electronic and electrical appliances, land property etc. are given to the family of the groom by the family of the bride before or after marriage. This system has led to social ills such as gender discrimination, objectification of women, stigmatisation of brides, female infanticide, domestic abuse against women, crime against women and so on. It has also deteriorated the mental health of women undergoing the process. Despite it being completely banned by the Indian Government in 1961, many families in India continue to practise this social evil.

India is an ancient country with ancient history and rich culture. However, some practices that have been there having gravely impacted the growth and progress of India in a negative way. The dowry system tops among these practices. It prevents many parents, especially the poor ones, from having female children. It also leaves many women unmarried throughout their lives due to a lack of money to pay the groom’s family. The system also objectifies women and presents them as burdens upon the family of the groom.

It is a system that strongly discriminates against women. The family of the bride gives dowry so that their daughter is not discriminated against and is treated well. However, as it is often assumed, dowry is no guarantee that a bride is treated well by her in-laws. We often come across cases in which a woman is beaten and abused heavily by her in-laws since they demand extra dowry. Under this dowry system, women are not seen as humans getting married to a man but as liabilities that are transferred from one family to another, and hence must be paid for.

The Dowry System is the manifestation of the age-old thinking that limits women to the house. In this thinking, women are not seen as breadwinners but as homemakers, from which the concept of housewives originates. However, today, women are in a condition to compete shoulder-to-shoulder with men as professionals. 

The prevalence of the dowry system in India has decreased, especially after women have proved their abilities to earn equal, and in many cases, even more than men. Women have driven the growth of India substantially, decreasing their vulnerability and increasing their stature in society. The government has also laid out strict laws and rules to prevent its spread. Above all, the people of India have become more aware of its negative consequences and have started to refrain from practising it. 

The Dowry System is like one dirty fish which can contaminate the entire pond. It paints a negative image of the rich culture India possesses. It also makes India’s women more vulnerable and snatches their freedoms away. It further puts an undue burden on the family of the bride. Due to such serious impacts, every Indian must say no to dowry. In India’s dreams of becoming a global leader, the Dowry System is one thing that Indians need to refuse. 

Points to remember while writing Dowry System Essay or Dowry System in India Essay

The following points must be remembered while writing a Dowry System Essay | Dowry System in India Essay in English

  • The Dowry System is a system in which a sum of cash or expensive items such as jewellery, electronic or electrical goods, or both are given to the Groom’s family by the family of the Bride.
  • The Dowry System is an age-old system that has been practised in India for centuries.
  • Dowry is considered a social evil which must be wiped out of our society
  • The Dowry System was outlawed in India in 1961 under the Dowry Prohibition Act . Despite this, many people still practise this evil custom.
  • The Dowry System immensely impacts society and women in a negative way.
  • The Dowry System puts a huge burden on the family of the Bride
  • The Dowry System has led to many parents abandoning their girl infants. It is also responsible for the surge in female infanticide in India.
  • The Dowry System comes from an age-old system that has treated women harshly and has limited them to the household.
  • The prevalence of the Dowry System has decreased since the opening of career opportunities for women.
  • Every Indian must say no to dowry and also help spread awareness against its practice.

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Essay on Dowry System for Children and Students

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Dowry is basically the cash, jewellery, furniture, property and other tangible items given by the bride’s family to the bridegroom and his parents during the event of marriage and this system is called Dowry System. It has been prevalent in India since centuries. Dowry system is one of the evil systems prevalent in the society. It is said to be as old as the human civilization and is rampant in many societies across the globe.

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Long and Short Essay on Dowry System in English

We have provided below essay on dowry System in English for your information and knowledge. The essays have been written in simple yet effective English language for you so that they can be easily remembered and presented when needed.

After going through these dowry System essay you will know what is dowry system; what are its impact on the society and the victims; why dowry system is a crime and should be banned; what laws are implemented by the government to eliminate dowry system etc.

These Dowry system essays can be helpful in school or college essay writing, speech giving or debate competitions.

Dowry System Essay – 1 (200 words)

Dowry system entails giving huge amount of cash, jewellery and other gifts to the groom’s family by the bride’s parents as a condition at the time of marriage. The system was put in place due to a reason in India and that was that until a few decades back the girl child did not have any right over the parental property and other fixed assets and was given liquid assets such as cash, jewellery and other goods to give her a fair share. However, it has turned into an evil social system over the years.

The wealth and property that parents intend to give her daughter as a part of the dowry so that she can be self sufficient at the new place is unfortunately, in most cases, all taken by the groom’s family. Besides, while earlier this was a voluntary decision of the bride’s parents it has become more of an obligation for them these days.

Many cases of brides being tortured physically and emotionally for not bringing enough dowry have come up. In many cases, the bride turns to her family to meet the demands of her in-laws while others end up giving their lives to end the torture. It is time the government of India should take strict action to stop this evil practice.

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Dowry System Essay – 2 (300 words)

Introduction

The dowry system, that includes the bride’s family offering gifts in the form of cash and kind to the groom’s family, is largely condemned by the society however some people argue that it has its own advantages and that people are still following it only because it does hold importance for the brides and benefits them in certain ways.

Are There Any Advantages of the Dowry System?

Many couples these days choose to live independently and it is said that dowry that mostly includes gifting cash, furniture, car and other such assets acts as a financial support for them and helps them to begin their new life on a good note. As both the bride and groom have just begun their career and are not that sound financially they cannot afford such huge expenses all at once. But is it a valid reason? If this is the case then both the families should invest in getting them settled rather than putting the entire burden on the bride’s family. Moreover, this should hold good if the families can afford to offer financial help to the newly wed without coming under debt or lowering their own standard of living.

Many also argue that those girls who are not good looking can find grooms by meeting the latter’s financial demands. It is unfortunate that girls are seen as a burden and marrying them off as they enter their twenties is the priority of their parents who are willing to do anything for the same. Providing huge dowry in such cases works and this evil practice seems as a boon for those who are able to find (buy) groom for their daughters. However, it is time such mind set should be changed.

The supporters of dowry system also state that providing huge amount of gifts to the groom and his family raises the status of the bride in the family. However, statistics reveal that in most cases it has worked against the girls.

The advocators of dowry system may come up with various unreasonable reasons to support the system but the fact remains that it does more harm than good to the society as a whole.

Dowry System Essay – 3 (400 words)

Dowry System that initiated as a decent practice to help the girls financially as they took on the new phase of their life has gradually turned evil. Just as child marriage, child labour, caste system and gender inequality, dowry system is also one of the evil social systems that needs to be eradicated for the society to prosper. However, unfortunately despite the efforts made by the government as well as various social groups, this heinous system is still very much a part of the society.

Why is Dowry System Still Intact?

The question remains that even after making dowry a punishable offense and spreading awareness about the ill-effects of this system through several campaigns why do people still practice it? Here are some of the main reasons why the dowry system remains intact despite being condemned by the masses:

  • In the Name of Tradition

The system of the bride’s family giving gifts to the groom and his family in the form of jewellery, cash, clothes, property, furniture and other assets is being practiced since decades. It has been given the name of tradition in various parts of the country and when the occasion is as pious as wedding, people cannot dare to neglect any tradition. People are following it blindly even though it is a burden for the bride’s family in majority of the cases.

  • Status Symbol

For some, the dowry system is more of a status symbol. The bigger car they give and the greater amount of cash they give to the groom’s family the more it boosts the status of both the families. Hence, even though they cannot afford many families end up throwing lavish wedding functions and giving numerous gifts to the groom and his relatives. It has become more of a competition these days. Everyone wants to beat the other.

  • Lack of Strict Laws

While the government has made dowry a punishable offence, the law has not been implemented strictly. There is no check on the exchange of gifts and dowry given during marriages. These loopholes are one of the main reasons why this evil practice still exists.

Apart from these, gender inequality and illiteracy are also major contributors to this heinous social system.

It is sad how even after completely understanding the ill effects of the dowry system people in India still continue to practice it. It is time people in the country should join hands to eradicate this problem.

Dowry System Essay – 4 (500 words)

Dowry system has been prevalent in our society as well as many other societies across the globe since times immemorial. While it started as helping the daughters to be self sufficient and financially independent as they moved to the new place over the period of time it has turned into a heinous practice that rather than empowering the women has turned against them.

Dowry is a Curse to the Society

Dowry, the practice of giving gifts in the form of cash, property and other assets by the bride’s family to the groom and groom’s family, can actually be termed as a curse to the society especially to the women. It has given rise to several crimes against women. Here is a look at the various troubles this system creates for the brides and their family members:

  • Financial Burden on the Family

The parents of a girl child begin saving for her ever since she is born. They keep saving for the wedding for years as they are responsible for conducting the entire affair right from decoration to catering to renting the banquet. And as if this wasn’t enough, they also require giving huge amount of gifts to the groom, his family as well as his relatives. Some people end up borrowing money from their relatives and friends while others take loans from bank to meet the demands.

  • Lowers Standard of Living

The bride’s parents end up spending so much on their daughter’s marriage that they often end up lowering their standard of living. Many end up in debt and spend the rest of their lives repaying it.

  • Gives Rise to Corruption

Giving dowry and organizing a decent enough wedding function is something that cannot be escaped for those who have a girl child. They need to accumulate money for the same no matter what and in the event many give in to corrupt means such as taking bribes, forging tax or conducting certain business activities using unfair means.

  • Emotional Stress for the Girl

The in-laws often compare the gifts brought by their daughter-in-law by those brought by other girls in their vicinity and pass sarcastic remarks making her feel tormented. Girls often feel emotionally stress due to this and some even undergo depression.

  • Physical Abuse

While some in-laws make it a habit to be sarcastic with their daughter-in law and leave no occasion to humiliate and bad mouth her others take to physical abuse. Several cases of women being hit and burned because of their inability of fulfilling the huge dowry demands keep surfacing every now and then.

  • Female Foeticide

A girl child is seen as a burden for the family. It is the dowry system that has given rise to female foeticides. Female foetus is aborted by several couples. The cases of girl child being abandoned are also common in India.

The practice of dowry is strongly condemned. The government has also passed law making dowry a punishable offence however it is still being practiced in most parts of the country causing agony for the girls and their families.

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Dowry System Essay – 5 (600 words)

Dowry System has been a dominant part of the Indian society. In many parts it is known to be embedded in the culture and has become more of a ritual. This undue custom of the bride’s parents giving away expensive gifts in the form of cash and kind during her wedding started as a way of empowering the women as they began their new life at a completely new place.

Initially, cash, jewellery and other such gifts were given to the bride however the sole purpose of the system has deviated over the period of time and the gifts are now given to groom, his parents and relatives. The jewellery, cash and other stuff given to the bride are also kept in safe by her in-laws. A number of factors such as illiteracy, gender inequality and lack of strict laws against this system have given rise to this evil practice.

Laws against Dowry System

Dowry system is one of the most heinous social systems in the Indian society. It has also given rise to several issues such as female foeticide, abandoning of girl child, financial problems in the girl’s family, unfair means to earn money, emotional and physical abuse of the daughter-in-law. In order to curb this problem, the government has come up with laws making dowry a punishable act. Here is a detailed look at these laws:

The Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961

By way of this act a legal system to monitor the give and take of dowry was put in place. As per this act, a penalty is imposed in the event of dowry exchange. The punishment involves a minimum of 5 years of imprisonment and a minimum fine of INR 15,000 or the dowry amount based on whichever is greater. A demand for dowry is equally punishable. Any direct or indirect demand for dowry could lead to 6 months of imprisonment and a fine of INR 10,000.

Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005

Many women are abused emotionally and physically for not meeting the dowry demands of their in laws. This law has been put in place in order to empower women against such abuse. It protects women from domestic violence. All forms of abuse including physical, emotional, verbal, economic and sexual are punishable under this law. The punishment for different types and severity of abuse vary.

Possible Ways to Eradicate Dowry System

Despite the laws inflicted by the government, the dowry system still has a strong hold in the society. Here are a few solutions for eradicating this problem:

Lack of education is one of the main contributors to social practices such as dowry system, caste system and child labour. People must be educated to promote logical and reasonable thinking to get rid of belief systems that give rise to such evil practices.

  • Empowering Women

Instead of looking for a well-settled groom for their daughters and investing all their savings in the wedding, people must spend on the latter’s education and make her self-dependent. Women must continue to work even after their marriage and focus their energy on productive things rather than succumbing to the sarcastic remarks of in-laws. Women must also be made aware of their rights and how they can use them to guard themselves from any kind of abuse.

  • Gender Equality

Gender inequality that exists at the core of our society is one of the main reasons for dowry system. From a very early age, children must be taught how both males and females have equal rights and are not superior/ inferior to each other.

Apart from this campaigns should be held to sensitize the issue and the laws set by the government must be made more stringent.

Dowry system is the cause of agony for the girl and her family. The solutions mentioned here must be taken seriously and incorporated in the system to get rid of this problem. The government and general public must join hands to eradicate this system.

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dowry system essay in english

The dowry system, an age-old tradition, involves the giving of cash, jewelry, furniture, property, and other tangible items by the bride's family to the groom and his parents during the marriage ceremony. This practice, known as the dowry system, has deep roots in Indian culture and has been present for centuries. Unfortunately, it is not confined to India alone but is found in various societies worldwide.

The dowry system is often seen as a social evil, causing harm and distress to families. Instead of promoting the joyous union of two individuals, it has become a burden, leading to various social issues. Families may feel compelled to fulfill dowry demands, putting financial strain on them and sometimes leading to exploitation and harassment of the bride.

This system is like an old tree with roots that have entwined themselves in society's fabric. Despite efforts to eradicate it, the dowry system persists. Many girls and their families face the harsh reality of dowry-related issues, including domestic violence and even dowry-related deaths.

To combat this issue, society must work together to change its mindset. Education plays a crucial role in challenging traditional norms and promoting gender equality. Laws against dowry harassment need to be strictly enforced, and public awareness campaigns can contribute to changing societal attitudes.

In conclusion, the dowry system is a harmful tradition that has plagued societies for centuries. Its elimination requires a collective effort involving education, legal action, and societal change. By fostering a society that values equality and respect, we can hope to dismantle this age-old practice and create a better future for generations to come.

Why is the Essay on Dowry System Important for Your Exams? 

The essay on the Dowry System is important for exams because it deals with a significant social issue that has been affecting communities for a long time. Exams are not just about memorizing facts; they also assess our understanding of real-world problems and our ability to express thoughts clearly.

Firstly, the Dowry System is a pressing concern in many societies, particularly in countries like India, and addressing it requires awareness and understanding. When we write an essay on this topic, it shows that we are aware of the social issues around us. This awareness is crucial for being an informed and responsible citizen.

Secondly, writing about the Dowry System demonstrates our ability to analyze a societal problem critically. Exams often test our analytical skills, and discussing the causes, consequences, and possible solutions to the dowry system requires logical thinking and a clear expression of ideas.

Additionally, the essay on the Dowry System reflects our understanding of gender issues and the importance of equality in society. It prompts us to think about the impact of traditional practices on individuals and communities. This understanding is valuable not just for exams but for our overall growth as individuals who are aware of the world around them.

Moreover, the essay on the Dowry System is relevant for exams because it encourages us to explore the historical and cultural aspects of societal practices. It prompts us to delve into the roots of such traditions, their evolution over time, and the challenges faced by societies in eradicating them.

In conclusion, the essay on the Dowry System is important for exams as it assesses our awareness, analytical skills, understanding of societal issues, and ability to express ideas coherently. It prepares us to think critically about real-world problems, fostering a mindset that is essential for personal and societal development.

Long and Short Essay on Dowry System in English

The essay explains what the dowry system is, its impact on society and victims, why it is considered a crime and should be banned, and the laws implemented by the government to eliminate it.

These essays are written in an easy-to-understand language, making them suitable for use in school or college essay writing, speeches, or debate competitions. They provide information on a crucial issue affecting many societies, helping readers grasp the key aspects of the dowry system. The aim is to make the content easily remembered and presented when needed. Whether you are a student or someone looking to understand the dowry system, these essays serve as a valuable resource in comprehending its complexities and societal implications.

Essay on Dowry System 1 (100 words) 

Dowry is an ancient tradition in India where the father transfers property to his daughter upon her marriage. Initially, it began as a loving gesture to assist the newlyweds in settling down. However, over time, the dowry system has evolved into a problematic transfer of wealth from the bride's family to the groom's, leading to emotional and mental harassment for the bride's family. What once symbolized care for the daughter as she started a new life has turned into a burdensome custom, causing distress. The original intent of support and affection has been overshadowed by the negative impact of this practice, highlighting the need for societal awareness and change.

Essay on Dowry System 2 (150 words)

The Dowry system, rooted in Indian traditions, initially aimed to support newlyweds by the bride's father gifting land, money, and property. It intended to ensure a smooth start for the couple in their new life. However, over time, this well-intentioned practice has transformed into a societal evil, burdening the bride's family with the pressure to provide a certain sum of money and durables. Instead of being a support system, it has become a compulsion and a social issue.

The bride once meant to start anew with assistance, now finds herself in a delicate position. She is viewed as an asset by the groom's family, while her own family bears the financial burden. This raises critical questions about whether the dowry system is a means of suppressing women. Tragically, the dark side of dowry often leads to unreported cases of domestic violence, casting a shadow over various parts of the nation. Addressing this issue is crucial for dismantling gender inequalities and fostering a society where marriages are built on mutual respect rather than financial transactions.

Essay on Dowry System 3 (200 words) 

Dowry, once a simple transfer of wealth to symbolize love and support for newlyweds, has evolved into a complex issue causing suffering for young girls across the nation. This practice, deeply embedded in our society for a long time, has proven resistant to legal interventions aimed at eradication.

Despite being recognized as a punishable crime, the dowry system persists, inflicting hardship on many resilient girls and their families. The simple act of transferring wealth has transformed into a deep-rooted societal problem, with increasing cases of unreported crimes and domestic violence against young brides.

While legal measures prioritize reports against dowry-related injustices, many incidents go unnoticed. The rising rates of domestic violence indicate a pressing need for better education and awareness. Tragically, some young girls face extreme consequences, even death, due to dowry demands.

Addressing the dowry system requires not only stringent legal measures but also a concerted effort to educate and raise awareness within society. By challenging traditional norms and fostering a culture of equality and respect, we can hope to alleviate the suffering caused by this outdated and harmful practice.

Essay on Dowry System 4 (250 words) 

Dowry, a tradition where the bride's family transfers wealth to the groom's family during marriage, exists in various forms like cash, movable or immovable properties. Although its origin is hard to trace, the dowry system has persisted in India for a long time, casting a dark cloud over the brides' families.

Especially prevalent in the northern part of India, along with casteism, the dowry system turns what should be a joyous occasion into a source of anxiety for fathers of young girls. They often find themselves saving money, fearing the financial burden associated with their daughter's marriage. Sadly, for many women, the experience of dowry feels like a nightmare, making them feel like a burden rather than a celebration.

Efforts to combat the dowry system are ongoing, with various NGOs working to spread awareness and address this deeply rooted issue. What was once a beautiful gesture of providing support to newlyweds has taken an ugly turn, causing distress to families and perpetuating gender inequalities.

Recognizing the severity of the problem, the government enacted the Dowry Prohibition Act, of 1961, making dowry a punishable crime. Both the giver and the taker of dowry can face legal consequences, aiming to create a deterrent against this harmful practice. It is crucial to continue these efforts, combining legal measures with widespread awareness campaigns, to create a society where marriages are based on mutual respect and not financial transactions.

Essay on Dowry System 5 (300 words)

Introduction

The dowry system, involving the bride's family offering gifts to the groom's family, is widely criticized in society. However, some argue that it has advantages, benefiting brides in specific ways. This essay explores these arguments and examines whether the alleged benefits outweigh the harmful consequences.

Are There Any Advantages of the Dowry System?

Advocates claim that the dowry system provides financial support to couples starting their new life, including cash, furniture, and even a car. Supporters argue that as young couples embark on their careers, they may lack the financial means for significant expenses. However, this reasoning raises questions. If financial support is the goal, shouldn't both families contribute to getting the couple settled, rather than burdening only the bride's family? The sustainability of providing such support without plunging into debt or compromising living standards must also be considered.

Another argument is that less conventionally attractive girls may find grooms by meeting their financial demands. Unfortunately, this perspective sees girls as burdens and prioritizes marrying them off in their twenties. Offering significant dowry in these cases might seem like a solution, but it perpetuates a harmful mindset that needs reconsideration.

Supporters also claim that a substantial dowry enhances the bride's status in the family. However, statistical evidence contradicts this, revealing that, in most cases, it works against the girls.

Despite the various arguments in favor of the dowry system, its overall impact appears more harmful than beneficial. Advocates may present reasons that seem reasonable, but the systemic issues and negative consequences for girls and their families cannot be overlooked. It is essential to challenge and change these deep-rooted beliefs to foster a society where marriages are based on mutual respect rather than financial transactions.

Essay on Dowry System 5 (400 words)

The Dowry System, initially intended to assist girls financially as they entered a new phase of life, has transformed into an evil social practice. Like child marriage, child labor, the caste system, and gender inequality, the dowry system poses a significant challenge that must be eliminated for society to thrive. Despite government efforts and awareness campaigns, this heinous system persists in society.

Why is the Dowry System Still Intact?

The lingering presence of the dowry system raises the question of why, despite being declared a punishable offense and the subject of extensive awareness campaigns, people continue to practice it. Several factors contribute to the persistence of this system:

In the Name of Tradition:

The exchange of gifts from the bride's family to the groom's family, encompassing jewelry, cash, clothes, property, and other assets, has been ingrained in various regions for decades. Labeled as tradition, people follow it blindly, even though it becomes a burden for the bride's family in many cases.

Status Symbol:

For some, the dowry system serves as a status symbol. The size of the car and the amount of cash given to the groom's family contribute to elevating the status of both families. Consequently, even when families cannot afford it, they engage in extravagant wedding functions and present numerous gifts, turning it into a competitive practice.

Lack of Strict Laws:

While the government has criminalized dowry, lax enforcement of the law allows for the continued exchange of gifts and dowry during marriages. These legal loopholes contribute significantly to the persistence of this harmful practice.

Gender Inequality and Illiteracy:

Gender inequality and illiteracy further fuel the dowry system. Discriminatory attitudes and lack of education contribute to the perpetuation of this social evil.

Despite a comprehensive understanding of the adverse effects of the dowry system, its continued practice is disheartening. People in India must unite and take collective action to eradicate this problem. Strengthening the implementation of existing laws, challenging traditional norms, and fostering awareness and education are essential steps toward creating a society where marriages are based on mutual respect rather than financial transactions. The fight against the dowry system requires a concerted effort to dismantle deeply ingrained beliefs and foster positive change.

Essay on Dowry System 6 (500 words) 

The Dowry system, prevalent in societies worldwide for centuries, initially aimed to support daughters as they transitioned to a new life. However, over time, it has transformed into a heinous practice that undermines rather than empowers women.

Dowry is a Curse to the Society

Dowry, the tradition of gifting cash, property, and assets from the bride's family to the groom's, is a curse to society, particularly affecting women. This practice has given rise to numerous crimes against women, creating various challenges for brides and their families:

Financial Burden on the Family:

Parents of a girl start saving for her wedding from the moment she is born. They bear the responsibility of funding the entire affair, including decorations, catering, and banquet rentals. On top of these expenses, they must give significant gifts to the groom, his family, and relatives. Many families borrow money or take loans to meet these demands, leading to a severe financial burden.

Lowers Standard of Living:

Excessive spending on a daughter's marriage often forces parents to lower their standard of living. Many families end up in debt, spending years repaying loans, affecting their overall quality of life.

Gives Rise to Corruption:

Accumulating funds for dowry and wedding functions sometimes leads to corrupt practices. Families may resort to taking bribes, forging tax documents, or engaging in unfair business activities to meet these financial demands.

Emotional Stress for the Girl:

In-laws often compare the gifts brought by their daughter-in-law to those of others, subjecting her to sarcastic remarks and emotional stress. Such comparisons can lead to depression and mental health issues for the girls involved.

Physical Abuse:

Some in-laws engage in constant humiliation and verbal abuse, while others escalate to physical violence. Instances of women being physically harmed or even burned due to their inability to meet exorbitant dowry demands are distressingly common.

Female Foeticide:

The perception of a girl child as a financial burden has contributed to the alarming practice of female foeticide. Couples, under the pressure of dowry expectations, resort to aborting female fetuses. Abandonment of girl children is also prevalent in India.

Despite strong condemnation and the enactment of laws making dowry a punishable offense, this harmful practice persists in many parts of the country. The Dowry system continues to cause agony for girls and their families, emphasizing the urgent need for widespread awareness, stringent law enforcement, and a collective societal effort to eradicate this deeply rooted issue. Only through concerted action can society break free from the shackles of this detrimental tradition and pave the way for a future where marriages are based on mutual respect and equality rather than financial transactions.

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Essay on Dowry System for Students and Children

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Reported by Anshika Saxena

Published on 7 June 2024

Essay on Dowry System : Dowry System stands to be one of the most prevalent practices in India since ancient times. It is still in practice in a few parts of the nation. While the system has been abolished, there are many parents who have to pay a huge sum as a dowry in order to get their daughters married. The parents who fail to fulfil the expectations of the groom’s family often find themselves stuck in the suffering of domestic violence subjected by their daughters.

The practice is termed to be one of the cruellest and most evil practices in terms of marriage. This topic finds its way into competitions and examinations because it happens to be exclusively relatable.

Essay on Dowry System

If you have to write an essay on the topic of the “Dowry System”, you can take the help of the ensuing article. Here we have provided a detailed guide on how to frame and structure the essay. Read the following guidance and the sample essay that you can allude to while writing yours. Furthermore, we have also mentioned a few saying that will assist you to make your essay more concrete and impressive.

Essay on Dowry System

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The topic, “Dowry System” is a very vast topic. There are a lot of aspects and points that you can put forward on the theme. However, you must understand the kind of topic it is and the type of essay you need to frame on it. The topic, “Dowry System” is necessarily a descriptive one. While you can also write it in an argumentative style, you cannot stand for the motion. You also cannot be neutral about it. You have to stand against it.

Thus, as you write your essay, you have to realise that this is a grave issue and an evil practice. Further, the Essay on Dowry System needs to explore the angles of Feminism too, as it is extremely crucial. You have to be firm and give in strong arguments while informing regarding the purpose, prevalence, and requirement of the practice.

Read this>>> What is Pink Tax? Impact on Women, Regulation

Sayings and Quotes on the Practice of Dowry

The students who are willing to write a good essay on the topic of Dowry can start quoting famous people to support and justify their points. In the subsequent section, the potential writers can refer to any of the ensuing quotes for the purpose of adding them and making the essay interesting:

  • Start marrying a woman for love and stop divorcing a woman for money ~ Sir P.S. Jagadeesh Kumar
  • He traded his surname for dowry ~ Nila
  • Any young man, who makes dowry a condition to marriage, discredits his education and his country and dishonours womanhood ~ Mahatma Gandhi
  • People accept the dowry system, by aborting a female child and by rising a male child ~ Sir P.S. Jagadeesh Kumar
  • The great virtue of parents is a great dowry ~ Horace
  • The dowry, not the wife, is the object of attraction ~ Juvenal
  • An impotent beggar believes in begging for money and a potent beggar believes in begging for dowry ~ Sir P.S. Jagadeesh Kumar
  • As long as she is wise and good, a girl has sufficient dowry ~ Plautus
  • Too many people embrace religion from the same motives that they take a companion in wedlock, not from the true love of the person, but because of a large dowry ~ Hosea Ballou
  • It often happens, that misery will follow a marriage when the dowry is too large ~ Decimius Magnus Ausonius

Samples Essay for the topic “Dowry System”

There was a system that started across the globe where women were married to men only to leave their homes to settle in the men’s homes. This seems like a painful but not barbaric practice until the realisation hit the masculine community that somehow they are responsible for the well-being and sustainability of women and thus they must demand money from the parents of the bride for they are lifting off the burden by marrying the daughters. It was agreed upon because women never had the privilege which was the basic right to earning bread. The practice was eventually known as Dowry.

Dowry in simpler words is the compensation that the groom and his family get because they are marrying someone’s daughter. It is no less than a prize that men receive for being born as men. The practice decreased with the advancement and empowerment of women but it has killed and influx pain and suffering in the lives of many women and their parents. There was a common notion of standing against the bride post-marriage through the means of domestic violence if her parents were unable to fulfil the expectations of the groom’s family. The latter would torture the bride just to pressurize her to force her parents to pay more and more money. This would go to such an extreme that they ended up killing the girl. Men always had the option of remarrying where no one question them. Hence, the cycle would start again.

This started the prevalence of domestic violence, dowry death, female infanticide, and the torture of unmarried women. These practices have been the root cause of disrespect of women and it might seem they all started due to dowry but the aspects such as patriarchy, mansplaining, female oppression, unemployment of women, and much more are also related to it.

There are relative laws that abolish and ban these practices and declare dowry as a criminal offence but as Lord Chesterfield once said, “If a marriage is going to work well, it must be on a solid footing, namely money, and of that commodity it is the girl with the smallest dowry who, to my knowledge, consumes the most, to infuriate her husband. All the same, it is only fair that the marriage should pay for past pleasures since it will scarcely procure any in the future”, declaring how a marriage based on Dowry where the groom is paid less infuriates him against his wife. Parents pay the dowry for the purpose of ensuring the contentment of their daughters. He intends to clarify that this is unfair as such marriages which are based on the dowry system are only about the individual pleasures of the bride before her marriage as she shall not receive any after that.

Speech on International Women’s Day

The feminist movement has improved situations but the Dowry system is still prevalent in many parts of society. The connected practices are also prevalent to date. While women who are self-dependent and earn their own bread often do not find themselves suffering and it is advocated that the system shall diminish if every woman earns her own bread. However, the truth is that it is the mentality of the masculine-inclined society that needs to change as women are not responsible for being oppressed enough to not seek employment, for being considered as responsibilities of parents and men, for being married off without being financially independent, and left at the mercy of groom and his family.

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Anshika Saxena

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English Summary

Essay on Dowry System

Dowry means those gifts and presents which are given by a father or a guardian to his daughter at the time of her marriage. In ancient times, it was considered as a sort of help to the newlyweds to establish their own home.

Mostly the dowry in those days was in kind, say a variety of things useful for new homes, and not in cash, as the system now prevails.

Those gifts were given voluntarily and without any demands made under pressure. About a hundred years ago, there was a custom that the prospective husband used to offer gifts and presents to his would-be bride’s father. But this custom proved a major handicap for many persons who could not marry early in life for want of funds to buy such gifts.

There were many unfortunates who could not marry at all for this reason, But customs are never stationary. They undergo changes. Now, at present, this custom has been reversed.

Now, the system has become a social evil. It has become extremely difficult to arrange a girl’s marriage without a dowry. Now the system has become a social evil. Dowry system has become one of the greatest social evils these days and hundreds of innocent lives have been lost.

Even educated parents expect their daughter-in-law to bring money and gifts from her family. They use the dowry system as a short-cut to amass wealth. They torture someone else’s daughter without thinking that their own daughter might also meet the same fate.

We have legislation in our country to stop giving and accepting dowry. Yet this system is very much in existence Unless we are ready to bring in a change of hearts, no legislation can be effective. Better burn your greed and spare your brides.

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Essay on “The Dowry System” Complete Essay for Class 10, Class 12 and Graduation and other classes.

THE DOWRY SYSTEM

THE CURSE OF DOWRY

Essay No. 01

‘Dowry’ according to the dictionary, means the property which a woman brings to her husband at the time of her marriage.  Originally, it must have meant property represented by the voluntary gifts given to the girl by her parents, relatives and friends out of love and affection, at the time of her marriage.  May be these gifts were given to the girl in order  to enable her to set up a new home out of a sense of social responsibility.  The system of dowry must be as old as the institution of marriage itself.  It must also have been a universal practice.  Every father wants to give some presents to his daughter when she is leaving his home for good and starting life afresh.  There is nothing  unusual, bad abnormal about it.

                But as time passed, the system degenerated into an evil custom.  It came to be looked upon as an evil and a curse.  The dowry became an all- important and a primary factor in marriage.  It became necessary for the parents of the girl to give a good dowry to her whether they could afford it or not.  Worse still, the married life of a girl came to depend upon dowry.  Marriage became impossible in the absence of a handsome dowry.  Several girls, whose parents could not afford a good dowry, had to commit suicide as their greedy in-laws made their lives miserable.  Newspapers are full of reports carrying harrowing tales of brides being burnt to death or driven to hang themselves because of constant nagging by their in laws.  Some of the step-daughters of fortune choose the hangman’s noose while others consume poison or jump down the multi-storeyed buildings to deliver themselves from the clutches of the inhuman dowry seekers.

                It is really tragic that in the progressive world of today, the evil of dowry continues to exist in all its horrid forms.  Many homes are broken and several families are driven to ruin only because they are too poor to afford a rich dowry.  Previously, in the selection of a bribe, her family background, education and her intrinsic worth used to be the primary consideration.  Now, dowry is the first and the only consideration in a majority of the matrimonial alliances.  As a result, dowry, which was at one time a token of love and affection, has become a cause of oppression and exploitation of the worst order.

                Some parents have to incur heavy debts for giving dowry.  At times, they remain under debt for the whole of their life.  Sometimes, the girl’s parents fill to raise the necessary funds for marriage.  They are compelled to commit suicide in disgust and despair.  No wonder, therefore, that the birth of a daughter is looked upon as a bolt from the blue.

                In the recent past, the Government of India and many states have taken some anti-dowry steps.  In some states, dowry has been made a cognizable offence.  But legal steps are not enough.  We have to create a social climate which does not favour giving and taking of dowry.   Dowry seekers must be singled out and condemned.  The Government should implement the anti-dowry bill strictly in the right spirit  Nobody, however highly placed, should be allowed to violate the law.  Expenses at the marriage celebrations should be cut down.  Needy married couples should be given loans and grants to help them set up their homes.  They can be asked to refund these loans in easy installments.  Voluntary  social service organizations and religious heads should encourage dowryless marriages in large numbers.  Girls should come forward to raise a banner of revolt against the dowry seekers.  They should refuse to marry such boys as expect a dowry.

                There is another dimension to the anti-dowry act promulgated by the government.  This law is being exploited by some girls or their parents to blackmail the boys or their families after marriage. On threat of charge of prosecution for asking for dowry, husbands are being forced to shell out huge sums of money to get a divorce.  This practice must be looked into and steps should be taken to see that no family is unnecessarily harassed or exploited.  Divorce should be made easier to obtain.  Boys and girls should both be given equal rights in the matter of obtaining a divorce.

                In order to root out the evil of dowry from the society, we shall have to build up a strong public opinion against it.  Boys and girls in schools and colleges should be made to take a pledge that they would neither seek nor give dowry.  They should be educated through films, television plays and talks, slides camps, lectures and radio talks.  Such boys as refuse to accept dowry in their marriages should be honoured in public.  If we succeed in removing the evil of dowry, it will be really a praiseworthy achievement.

Essay No. 02

Dowry System

The dowry system is an age old system and a peculiar phenomenon of the Indian society. It is, as today, a curse to the society.

Dowry is the name given to all that, the parents of a girl give to her when she gets married. At the face of it, the system seems quite appropriate, healthy and logical, for in this simple way, the parents of the girl help her in setting a new home. So far, so good and, originally also the purpose of dowry was very justified and understandable.

Let us now analyze how and why this system took birth at all? In the earlier times of Indian society, the daughter had no share in the father’s property so, by way of dowry the girl would get at least some portion of her share. Besides this, in those days, the girls were not educated so, this dowry could serve the girl as a back up support system in case of any emergency after her marriage. Seeing this as the ground reality and the reason for the system for having taken birth, no right thinking people would call the system wrong or unjustified. However, with the passage of time this same fine system has taken the ugly shape of begging for dowry, bargaining for dowry, auctioning the boy to the highest bidder and finally suicides. This is because, taking advantage of the system, the parents of the boys, have Started demanding dowry. This was never done in the original shape of the system. The girl’s parents would give whatever they could and, there would be NO – yes,  No demands from the boy’s side. Besides demanding items of dowry, now parents of the boy’s family keep items of the dowry for their own use. This was also not in the original system for, whatever was given was for the girl only- and never for the boy’s family. These two additions in the original system have converted the blessing for the girl into a curse for her. The parents who cannot afford to meet the demands of the boy’s family are forced either into taking loans that they can never return, or use unfair means of corruption to make money to meet the demanded expenses In turn, this has led to even committing suicides by the girls murders of girls by the in-laws. At times even before the marriage, the girl is led to kill herself to save her parents from the trauma of collecting money for her marriage.

 Thus, we see that, a system that was at one time very wise and discreet, has taken an ugly shape just because of the deed of men and women in today’s world. This system of dowry has become a slur on the Indian society. Besides being a shame, in today’s scenario, the system as it was even in the initial stages of its existence, has become quite irrelevant. This is because, both the reasons for its birth are now not in vogue. These days, girls are usually educated and can earn a livelihood if need arises, and, they now also have a share, an equal share as the brothers have in the father’s property. That means the necessity of the girl having an amount to reach out in the days of crisis or emergency does not hold good any more. So, when the very basis of the system does not exist, the system should be scrapped altogether. This is because; the system instead of bringing solace, only generates greed and even crime in several cases

My view is that, the system as it exists should be put to an end and all those who indulge in it should be punished severely.

Essay No. 03

The Evil of Dowry System

It  is  one  of  the  tragedies  of  modern  times  that  despite  the  spread  of education,  change  in  traditional  beliefs,  customs  and  manners,  the  condition women  remains  largely  unchanged.  Despite  the  promulgation  of  several laws designed  to  ameliorate  the  lot  of  women,  evils  such  as  dowry  continue causing  havoc  in  the  lives  of parents  and the  young  girls.

The  custom  of  dowry  was  started  by  our  forefathers  with  a  practical  purpose. Pie  girl  was  given  gifts  and  jewellery  at  the  time-  of  her  marriage  so  that she  could  start  life  afresh  without  feeling  weighed  down  by  everyday  needs of  life.  Another  reason  for  giving  away  part  of  the  possessions  was  that the  girls  were  not  entitled  to  any  share  in  the  property  by  right.  Only the boys  could  be  the  legal  heirs  to the  wealth and  property  left  by the  parents.

But  over the  years, the  custom  of  dowry  has  degenerated.  Marriage has become  like  a business  transition,  where  the  terms  are  dictated  by   the boy’s  parents.  The financial  terms  are  settled  much  in  advance  of  the actual  marriage  ceremony.  Even  if  the  girl’s  parents  do  everything  in accordance  with  the  wishes  of  the  groom  and  his  parents,  there  is  no guarantee  of  a  happy  future  for  their  daughter.  Every day the newspaper headlines bring this fact home that the evil  of  dowry  is  playing  havoc with  the lives  of young  girls.  The suicide pact of sisters  in  Kanpur  some time back  is still  fresh  in  public  memory.  The girls, unable  to agony of  their  parents, took  the  fatal  step  and  ended  their  lives.  Such incidents should  shake the  public  out  of  its  apathy,  but  it  is  sad  that  after a  little  noise  by  women  activists,  social  workers,  etc.  the controversy   died a  natural  death.

The  custom  is  widely  prevalent  in  the  country  among  the  rich,  middle class  ,as  well  as  the  poor. Almost  all  communities  practice  this  custom. The custom  is  inseparably  connected  with  the  institution  of  arranged marriages. An  overwhelming  majority  among  young  girls,  are  brought  up to  believe  that  their  final destination  is  marriage.  Lately, many girls are opting  for  careers.  But  it  is  at  best  a  secondary  aim,  which  might  be pursued  in  conjunction  with  and  not  to  the  exclusion  of  marriage.  The law  that  Manu,  the ancient  Hindu  law-giver,  once  laid  down;  that  a  woman must  remain  subject  to  her  father  in  childhood,  to  her  husband  in  youth and  to  her  sons  when  she  becomes  a  widow,  holds  good  as  well  today  & it  did  thousands  of  years  ago.

This  presupposes  that  in  a  woman’s  life  marriage  is  as  inevitable  as  birth and  death.  First  because  she  needs  physical  protection  at  all  stages  in  her life and secondly  because she  is  economically  less  productive  than  man. The  accepted  popular  notion  that   the  ultimate  destiny  of  a  girl  is  marriage, is  symbolic  of  her  inferior  status  in  a  male  dominated  society.  The girl if, first educated and then pushed into a marriage. She is expected to surrender totally and completely forget her identity.  In  some  communities  in  face: the  girls  are  given  a  new  name  to  remind  them  of  their  new  life.  Parents out  of  social  pressures,  try  to  many  off  their  daughters  as  early  as  possible. But  a  young  educated  girl  inwardly  rebels  at  the  prospect  of entering a home where  her  sole  qualification  is  the  dowry  that  she  brings  with  her. The girls have not been able  to  show  courage  to  defy  these  traditions. The  Centre  for  Social  Science Research  has  found after a  study  that  91 per  cent  of  dowry  victims  were  educated  young  girls.

Today,  dowry  .has  cut  all  barriers  of  caste,  colour  and  creed.  Growing materialism is responsible for the custom of dowry becoming moil widespread.  People have become more materialistic.  Values have changed Money has become the yardstick to judge a man.  Human greed has become limitless.  Human  life  is  sacrificed  at  the  altar  of  greed  without  any  qualms.

In  recent  years  there  has  been  a  lot  of  agitation  against  this  evil  social practice.  The Dowry Prohibition  Act  was  passed  in 1961.  It was again amended in 1986.  The  Bill  to  amend  Dowry  Prohibition  Act  made  dowry offences  non-boilable;  raised  minimum  punishment  for  taking  dowry  Id,: five  years;  imposed  ban  on  any  advertisement  in  any  newspaper  etc. offering, share of  property  in  consideration  of  marriage.  However,  these  legislation efforts  of  social  workers  and  woman  activists  seem  to  have  been  largely ineffective in  exorcising  the  ghost whose shadow  darkens  the  lives  of many,  young  girls.

It  is  said  that  law  is  a  poor  instrument  of  social  reform.  Efforts  to  arouse collective  conscience  of  the  community  against  the  evil  have  to  be made.  There  is  hope  for  change  only  if  there  is  a  social awakening  and the crusade  against  dowry  crystallizes  into  a  public  movement,  a  social protest.  Above  all,  what  is  needed  is  a  change  in  social  attitude  towards women.  The education should inculcate among them a sense of dignity and self-respect.  It  should  create  self-confidence  in  them  and  equip  them-so  that  they  can  become  economically  independent.  Marriage should not be their ultimate, inevitable goal.  More employment opportunities should be made available to them.

Education is a very powerful instrument of social change.  Efforts  should be  made  to  educate  the  young  from  an early  age about  such  evil  practices, their  origin and need for change,  etc. in the  present  context.

The  media  too  plays  a  very  crucial  role  in  molding  public  opinion.  In fact  advertising   industry  must  realize its  social  obligation  and  not  encourage advertisements  which  have  an  unhealthy  effect  on  the society.

Joint  efforts  by  the  government,  women’s  organizations,  socially  enlightened people  are  likely  to  yield  results.  Of course, the change will come slowly. It will be long before the evil can be completely stamped out.  But once a collective  effort  is  made,  there  is  hope  of  the  social evil  being  wiped  out. Indeed,  the  crusade  against  dowry  needs  to  be  crystallized  into  a  public movement  and  a  massive  social  protest.

Essay No. 04

Dowry system is one of the greatest evils of our society. The sacred institution of marriage is reduced to a business transaction. In fact, the whole affair has assumed the proportion of a scandal. It is the system which lowers the dignity of women. The parents of the girl are made to pay not only huge amounts of cash but also give luxury items like television sets, refrigerators, scooters, etc., all in the name of dowry. Poor parents borrow huge sums of money on high rates of interest to provide dowry. Many girls have to  face a lot of trouble, and some of them even commit suicide.

The system has been in practice in India from times immemorial. As the Hindu law in the past did not give the girl the right to property, the father gave away a part of his property to the daughter in the form of dowry. It was also thought to be a sort of help to the young couple to set up a new home. The custom became an evil as the greed of bridegroom’s parents mounted. Thus from a grace it became a shame of our society.

Today girls are educated and some of them are employed and are economically independent. They are in no way inferior to the boys. The argument that since bride’s parents are very particular about boy’s income, qualification, etc., does not hold weight. Giving of dowry is no problem for the rich. In order to enhance their false social prestige, they give maximum dowry. The poor try to imitate the rich and in the process ruin themselves.

This inhuman practice must be put to an end. Law cannot produce any desirable results. The Dowry Prohibition Act, first passed in 1961, remained ineffective and the Amendment Bills of 1976 and 1985, which declared taking and giving of dowry as a punishable offence, have brought little respite to the people. The evil of dowry is grinning at us as never before.

This social evil needs a treatment at the social level. The social organizations carry out intensive anti-dowry propaganda. To combat the evil, young boys and girls should come forward and resolve not to give consent to such marriage which involves dowry. Marriages should be performed in the presence of some legal authority. The services of a government employee demanding dowry should be terminated. Above all, if more and more girls are educated and made to enter employment through various competitive examinations, the evil can be eradicated. Inter-caste marriages should be encouraged. The question of marriage should not be tackled by the old who lack constructive vision. The young should have more say in the matter. Thus, the most heinous of the social evils can be fought in our country.

Essay No. 05

The Dowry System

At times, even the noblest of intentions leads to the most vicious results. Wisdom and virtuosity in such cases are drained off with time and use. Like the caste system, the issue of dowry is one such ideal which went awry; which, as a result, has been causing confusion and coercion within the society.

The concept of dowry or `sthridhan’, quite paradoxically, traces its origins to the high status and esteem that women enjoyed in ancient times. It is an indication of the respect and regard commanded by women in those days, that they had rights over material wealth as men. But since women could not match their privilege of wealth with their ability to protect it, without the help of men, their privilege, in due course, turned to be a cause for their exploitation and misery. Men saw dowry as a ransom or fee they could exact for the protection that women sought’ from them. This transformation of a boon into a curse ‘is similar to that of caste practice. The caste system„ created as a mechanism to ensure division of labour, eventually became a tool for social exploitation.

As the world has progressed to the levels of materialism we see now, the prevalence of the dowry system and the evil practices associated with it, are more than ever before. Marriages, from being sacred commitments to lead healthy and happy family lives, have now degraded to being opportunities to amass wealth and privilege. The greed for wealth, which plays havoc with the sanctity of human relationships, is among the more important causes of social instability. Hence, even though the victims of crimes linked to dowry are invariably women, the issue of dowry, more than being a women’s problem, is now very much a social problem. If in some cases, the viciousness caused by dowry disputes, results in the death of the victims, in others, the victims are forced to lead a life of absolute misery and despair. The atmosphere of malice that prevails in such families will have an undesirable impact on the children growing up in them. Since society is actually an extension of the family, the malady of hatred and desperation will spread to it also.

By considering the dowry issue as a social problem, it may be possible to gamer support and commitment to solve it. However, with the materialistic mentality that prevails in society, solving the problem of dowry may not be easy. Nevertheless, an awareness of the evils of the system may be created in society, by suitably educating and enlightening the public. Moreover, encouraging changes in the people’s outlook to their personal relationships, and to society, will help restore self-respect in women, as well as create a sense of confidence in them. These changes will greatly benefit society. Such changes have come about in advanced countries, where, even though wealth is sought and coveted, dowry is not common. However, women should not push the ideals of independence and autonomy too far, lest the sanctity and integrity of family lives should collapse. A realization, that rather than money, education, self-respect and character are more valuable to happiness and well-being, may, over a period of time, act as a catalyst in solving the problem.

Essay No. 06

Evils of Dowry

Dowry system is one of the major evils afflicting India. It is really a great curse and a blot on our nation and society. It is discriminatory against women in general and unmarried girls in particular. It reflects man’s domination and superiority over the women, which is really shocking and condemn able. It is really sad that outdated and orthodox systems like dowry still prevail in Indian society. It reduces the bridegroom and his parents to the status of beggars and exploiters, and the bride’s parents to that of helpless victims. It is high time that the evils of dowry are eliminated forever. Let us stop it before it becomes more and more menacing with the ever-increasing demands of greedy and evil-minded parents and relatives of a would-be bridegroom. There is no limit to greed and accumulation of wealth by such dirty means as demanding dowry from the parents and guardians of young, unmarried girls.

The evils of this major social sin are many and too apparent. Because of this evil, hundreds of deaths and incidents of bride-burnings are reported every year in our country. Many more cases of this nature do not come to light at all. When they fail to bring in sufficient dowry, in cash or kind, young brides are harassed, tortured, burned alive and humiliated by their unscrupulous in-laws. Such an evil is to be found nowhere else in the world. It is a matter of great concern and shame to all of us that marriages are being settled on the basis of the value of the goods and money offered by the parents of brides, in the form of jewellery, costly clothes, T.V., car, scooter, furniture, and refrigerator, etc. and hard cash.

This immoral and vile system has generated black money, corruption, greed and many financial malpractices, besides various psychological complexes. The unprincipled and unconscientious parents of a would-be groom try to justify dowry on the false presumptions that the newly married couple be given dowry to set up a new home and to begin a new venture. Such people do, however, condemn dowry in no uncertain terms when they have daughters to marry. This is nothing but a double standard. No doubt, dowry system is very old in India, and is perhaps as old as the institution of marriage itself but, certainly now it has lost all relevance, both social and religious. As such, the sooner it is eradicated the better.

In ancient days a girl did not inherit any property. Therefore, to compensate this loss, she was given several gifts in cash and kind by her parents, relatives, friends and well-wishers in dowry. These gifts ensured a sort of future security to the newly married girl. But now the situation has totally changed. Now women have equal rights. They have equal rights of succession and inherit property from their parents and ancestors. Now giving or receiving of dowry is a cognisable offence under the Dowry Prohibition Act. According to this Act, if any person who gives, takes or abets in the giving or taking of dowry shall be punishable with imprisonment which may extend to 6 months, or with fine which may extend to five thousand rupees, or both. Now, apart from the parents and relatives of the bride, the police and registered social organisations can also lodge a complaint against the party demanding dowry. Moreover, there is no time limit for lodging such complaints.

The laws enacted in recent years against the dowry system are very powerful and specific and yet they are not enough. They are being violated with impunity. There are thousands of cases of dowry every year but very few offenders are actually punished. In spite of these laws, the cases of dowry deaths are on the increase. Besides these legislative measures, we need other meaningful and effective social measures. All our efforts should be made to generate an effective public opinion against dowry system. More and more people, organisations, social institutions, leaders, religious heads and elders in the communities should be involved in the movement against this evil. The movement should be taken to villages and far flung areas of the country. The social and women’s organisations should organized agitations against the parties indulging in demanding dowry. Social boycott and demonstrations against the offending parents and-relatives of the boy can prove a powerful weapon in checking this evil. Moreover, the laws against dowry must be made more stringent so that the offenders may not get off scot-free.

To curb this evil, registration of marriage should be made compulsory, where both the parties are required to declare that they have neither taken nor given any dowry. Group and community marriages can also help in removing this evil to a great extent. Such marriage ceremonies can be solemnised in a community function in the presence of elders. In such marriages, there is no room for demand of a dowry.

Young women themselves should come forward and take the lead in this movement. They should never feel weak, helpless and feeble. They should recognise their strength, rights and potential. The weak is always exploited by the strong. They should refuse to marry when dowry is demanded. They should revolt and expose such anti-social elements. They should learn to stand on their own feet and try to improve their economic status in the society. It is heartening to know that there is a lot of awakening among the women folk of the country in the matter, but this is just the beginning. They should fight against all sorts of discrimination and unjust male domination. The young boys should also be made aware of the evils of dowry. They should reject their parents’ plea of seeking dowry. What is needed is that the menace is fought both on the levels of law, and society. 

Essay No. 07

Look at the rich people! They have been able to amass immense wealth. Some of them have earned through unfair means. They give that ill-gotten money to their daughters by way of dowry. Even in the modern times, lakhs of rupees are given by way of dowry by them to their daughters. The bridegroom sometimes charges all the expenses of education with a scooter, a car and many other luxuries. Thus a custom has been going on to give something to the daughters who establish their own homes in the new environments.

Women were honoured in our country since olden times. They were good fighters and administrators. Women saints were in India and they preached all that they knew. We find their references in the ancient scriptures. No Yajna could be complete without the presence of women. In Lord Rama’s times, the golden image of Sita was prepared for taking part in the Yajna.

Thus we notice that in our country, women have been honoured since history began its march on this sacred soil.

But in the medieval times, the conditions became worse and the dowry system, child marriage, parda system etc., made the position of the women worse than it had been in early times of history.

But modern India has been trying again to raise her status in the society. India has got millions of poor people. India is a rural country and more than 80 per cent people belong to the rural areas. Therefore the poor people cannot follow this custom in the strictest sense. The demand of dowry is an extra burden on the parents of girls. The parents have to arrange for education and marriages of their children and therefore they have to arrange for more money for that purpose with a great difficulty.

The poor men cannot afford much money. They cannot even pass their time comfortably and have two course meals a day. They have to pass their time some-how. They have to follow the rich man’s customs. They have no option but to follow those traditions. They get loan and thus arrange their daughter’s marriage. They remain under the burden of debt all through their lives. In the past this resulted in the system of bonded labour, which has been legally abolished in the country recently.

Swami Daya Nand Saraswati, Raja Rammohan Roy and many other great reformers have been preaching against the curse of Dowry system. To oppose this The Arya Samaj arranges marriages without dowry. The Government too is alive to this problem. Under the leadership of Mrs. Indira Gandhi, the Government had tried to enact certain laws against the dowry system.

If India wishes to raise the status of women, she shall have to do away with this cursed custom. This custom has already caused misery to the people of the country. The parents should be free to give what they want to give to their daughters, but there should be no compulsion. Moreover, the amount to be spent on marriages should be limited by law. The fact is that more framing of laws cannot solve the problem permanently. The movement of the people to solve the problem alone can end this system. Undoubtedly, the dowry system is a great hindrance in the development of rural India.

Now the women have got equal rights with men. They get employment as the men-folk do. Therefore, the need of the hour is that the dowry system should be banned altogether. But the rich parents may be allowed to give something to their daughters if they like. Anyhow a limit to the marriage expenditure is necessary.

If the people agree to abolish the dowry system and the bridegrooms do not insist upon dowries, India will become more prosperous and the status of women will rise higher and higher. With the increase in demand for dowry, the bridegroom becomes a precious commodity. It is a blot on the fair name of our sacred land.

Therefore, this system must be abolished root and branch and it is the crying need of the hour to do so. The earlier the better.

Essay No. 08

The dowry means the goods and money paid by the bride’s parents to the groom’s family. In India, it is as old as the institution of marriage. In olden days, it was a token of affection and respect. Usually the goods given were the things of domestic ‘utility and were helpful for a young couple to start the family life. Gradually the real spirit of the system was lost. It became a compulsion for the bride’s parents. It is openly demanded and becomes a pre-condition for the marriage. It has now become an evil in the society.

The craze for dowry has been responsible for a number of murders and suicides. Several brides are burnt brutally. This is the brutal crime against humanity. This demands social awakening of the society. The dowry must not be a compulsion on the part of the parents.

The former Prime Minister, Mrs. Indira Gandhi cautioned the society, “We shall have to wipe out the remains of this custom. We shall have to create a mass awakening against the evil effects of this custom. The Government will introduce laws bin social awakening is necessary for its Success.”

There is no doubt about the fact that unless legal steps are taken for banning dowry, we shall not be able to overcome this problem. It is true that if the law is not supported by a mass movement, the real objective cannot be achieved. It can .be abolished when the masses are mentally prepared to discard dowry. If the youths and their parents are not firm, we cannot help them or protect them by enactment of a law.

There are other aspect of the problem. The economic status of women in our society is not high. Recently the demand and offering of dowry have been banned legally. Certain amendments have also been made which give more powers to the police for the investigation of a bride burning case on account of dowry.

The tendency to look upon girls as property and sex objects cannot be changed simply be educating the masses. In some advanced countries, women are paid less than men for the same job, In India, women are becoming aware of their equal rights. They receive equally good salary and achieve high position in administration, management and politics. The decade 1991-2000 was celebrated by the SAARC nations as the decade of the girl child. The object was to draw the attention of the world to the importance of the girl child. The dowry system requires complete brainwash.

In conclusion, it can be stated that the evil of dowry can be eliminated through the combined efforts of the state, society and the law enforcing agencies.

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dowry system essay in english

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  1. Dowry System Essay For Students In English

    Learn about the definition, causes and effects of dowry system in India, a social evil that discriminates against women and leads to crimes. Read a 500+ words essay on dowry system with examples and tips to stop it.

  2. Dowry System Essay for Students in English

    Download Important Essay on Dowry System for Students in English Free PDF from Vedantu. The Dowry system in India has been running for a long time. It is the money that is given during marriage to the boy or their family, even property can also be included in dowry. The system of dowry started in ancient times during marriage the money will be ...

  3. Essay on Dowry System for Students and Children

    500+ Words Essay on Dowry System. Dowry system is followed in India since a very long time. Our ancestors started this system for valid reasons but now it is leading to issues and problems in society. In this essay on dowry, we will see what dowry exactly is, how it started, and why it should be stopped now.

  4. Dowry System Essay in English

    The Dowry system is one of the longest-standing injustices in Indian society that is connected to marriage. The practice is still common in the 21st century, in both subtle and obvious ways, despite a lot of talk and action against it. Here are a few sample essays on 'dowry system'. 100 Words Essay On Dowry System

  5. Essay on Dowry System

    Long Essay on Dowry System 800 Words in English. Long Essay on Dowry System is usually given to classes 7, 8, 9, and 10. The dowry system has put the bride in a very sensitive situation because she is viewed as an asset that will help the groom's family amass more wealth and also this means she is a liability for her own family.

  6. Paragraph On Dowry System 100, 150, 200, 250 to 300 Words for Kids

    Paragraph on Dowry System - 100 Words for Classes 1, 2, and 3. Dowry is the process of transferring the father's property to the daughter at the time of her marriage. The dowry system has been for a long time in India. Since ancient times the transfer of belongings has been taking place. The purpose of dowry is to help settle the newly wedded.

  7. Essay On Dowry System in India

    Short Term Effects of Dowry System - these effects of the dowry system are immediate and are a permanent fixture in the daily news. a. Injustice towards girls - dowry bears a huge financial obligation for the bride's family. As a consequence, a girl child is viewed a possible source of drain on the family's finances, ultimately an onus.

  8. Dowry System Essay

    Given below are two essays in English for students and children about the topic of 'Dowry System' in both long and short form. The first essay is a long essay on Dowry System of 400-500 words. This long essay about Dowry System is suitable for students of class 7, 8, 9 and 10, and also for competitive exam aspirants. The second essay is a ...

  9. Short Essay: Dowry System

    Short Essay. The dowry system, a social evil prevalent in various parts of the world, especially in India, involves the transfer of parental property, gifts, or money at the marriage of a daughter. This practice can lead to severe societal issues, including financial stress on the bride's family and, in extreme cases, violence against women.

  10. Essay on Dowry System for Children and Students

    Dowry System Essay - 2 (300 words) Introduction. The dowry system, that includes the bride's family offering gifts in the form of cash and kind to the groom's family, is largely condemned by the society however some people argue that it has its own advantages and that people are still following it only because it does hold importance for the brides and benefits them in certain ways.

  11. Essay on Dowry System in English: Essay For Students 500+ Words

    Essay on Dowry System in 500+ Words. Dowry is a practice of demanding wealth in the form of money and gold to the bride's family by the groom's. It is an age-old practice followed in India by our ancestors. The origin of dowry might be a reason to consider it as valid. However, this practice has taken a demonic phase from the last few centuries.

  12. Essay on Dowry System in India

    250 Words Essay on Dowry System in India Introduction. The dowry system, a deep-rooted social evil in Indian society, is the practice of giving gifts, money, or property by the bride's family to the groom's family at the time of marriage. This tradition, originally intended as a form of financial security for the bride, has evolved into a ...

  13. Short Essay on Dowry System [100, 200, 400 Words] With PDF

    Short Essay on Dowry System in 100 Words. Dowry is a marital ritual prevalent in several parts of India and also in different parts of the world as well. Dowry means giving money, materials, gold which the bride's family pays to the groom. It is impossible to bear a dual expenditure of both the marriage and the dowry.

  14. Dowry System (Paragraph / Composition / Essay )

    Paragraph Writing Dowry SystemIn Bangladesh, the tradition of giving and receiving property or money by the bridegroom during marriage, known as dowry, has become increasingly prevalent. However, merely enacting laws and regulations is not enough to eliminate this social curse. It requires a complete shift in societal mindset, which can be achieved with the active involvement of young men and ...

  15. Dowry System Essay in English for Students

    The dowry system, a practice in which a bride's family gives a large sum of money and/or gifts to the groom's family, continues to be a major social issue in India. Despite efforts to eliminate the practice, it persists due to deep-seated societal attitudes and economic factors. See also Cat Essay for Students-10 Lines, Short & Long.

  16. Dowry System Essay

    The Dowry System is a system in which a sum of cash or expensive items such as jewellery, electronic or electrical goods, or both are given to the Groom's family by the family of the Bride. The Dowry System is an age-old system that has been practised in India for centuries. Dowry is considered a social evil which must be wiped out of our ...

  17. Essay on Dowry System for Children and Students in English

    Dowry System Essay - 1 (200 words) Dowry system entails giving huge amount of cash, jewellery and other gifts to the groom's family by the bride's parents as a condition at the time of marriage. The system was put in place due to a reason in India and that was that until a few decades back the girl child did not have any right over the ...

  18. Essay On Dowry System

    The essay explains what the dowry system is, its impact on society and victims, why it is considered a crime and should be banned, and the laws implemented by the government to eliminate it. These essays are written in an easy-to-understand language, making them suitable for use in school or college essay writing, speeches, or debate competitions.

  19. Essay on Dowry System for Students and Children in English

    Published on 14 March 2023. Essay on Dowry System: Dowry System stands to be one of the most prevalent practices in India since ancient times. It is still in practice in a few parts of the nation. While the system has been abolished, there are many parents who have to pay a huge sum as a dowry in order to get their daughters married.

  20. Essay on Dowry System

    Dowry system has become one of the greatest social evils these days and hundreds of innocent lives have been lost. Even educated parents expect their daughter-in-law to bring money and gifts from her family. They use the dowry system as a short-cut to amass wealth. They torture someone else's daughter without thinking that their own daughter ...

  21. Dowry

    A dowry is a payment, such as property or money, paid by the bride's family to the groom or his family at the time of marriage. Dowry contrasts with the related concepts of bride price and dower.While bride price or bride service is a payment by the groom, or his family, to the bride, or her family, dowry is the wealth transferred from the bride, or her family, to the groom, or his family.

  22. Essay on "The Dowry System" Complete Essay for Class ...

    THE CURSE OF DOWRY. Essay No. 01. 'Dowry' according to the dictionary, means the property which a woman brings to her husband at the time of her marriage. Originally, it must have meant property represented by the voluntary gifts given to the girl by her parents, relatives and friends out of love and affection, at the time of her marriage.

  23. Dowry System Essay/Paragraph in English

    Dowry System in India || Dowry System Essay/Paragraph in English #Dowrysystem#DowrysystemofindiaIf the video has helped in any way :-Please = LikePlease = Sh...