Among a huge huge population and in majority areas of our country, ‘dowry’ is more of a synonym to ‘marriage’. During a marriage and even after the marriage has taken place, the parents of the bride give some valuable property to the family of the bridegroom for reasons best known to them. Generally, this property is given in the form of furniture, vehicles, jewellery or cash.
The amount of dowry varies according to the work-profile, caste, territory of employment and residence, social status of the families and various other factors. If someone is working as a peon, his dowry amount would be low in comparison to a person who is working as a professor. Similarly, someone working in a private job will get less dowry than a person working in a government job. In backward castes, dowry amount would be less as compared to the so-called forward or elite castes.
Through this article, the author, who is an advocate, would like to defend the very victimised husband class of the country by stating some very genuine and strong reasons why one should take dowry. These reasons shall be considered as a reply to all the families of the girls across the country, the very educated and modern society which is against dowry, the NGOs working for women rights, and the laws in force.
Reason 1 : We are incompetent.
Even in the 21st century, this is beyond my understanding as to why people don’t understand that we are incompetent to earn all those valuable properties by ourselves which we are served on a silver platter on our wedding. We are not idiots to do all the hard-work if we can have all that by doing nothing.
Reason 2 : We have no self-respect.
We don’t feel any shame while taking dowry and why should we. Afterall, we are bringing a member from another family to join our family. Can’t they repay us in consideration of what we did.
Reason 3 : Our love for money is more than our love for our better half.
Money can buy everything. Can love buy all that ? A husband takes care of his wife as part of his moral and ethical values, but a wife does the same because it is her birth duty to do so. She must be aware that she isn’t doing a favour by waking up early in the morning, doing the household work, preparing food three times a day, taking care of the family members, helping her children with studies but this is what she is born for.
Reason 4 : We do not have the guts to speak against this patriarchal culture.
Who will go against the entire family, the society, the already set norms made by our forefathers. We don’t have unnecessary time to do all this. Everything that is going on is true. Our ancestors were more knowledgeable and well-informed and had more experience and exposure about the world than we do. If they had made dowry a part of our culture, they would have their relevant reasons for it, who are we to change or question it.
Reason 5 : We are inferior.
Our family is superior to the wife’s family. Isn’t this the reason why always a bride goes to the family of her husband and not the opposite. It is not because the bride is mentally stronger than us to leave her entire family behind for a new family, but because males are better than females.
Through these intelligent and rational reasons, the author hopes to deliver a clear picture to all the females of the country as to why men take dowry and should continue with the same.
Disclaimer : This is an opinionated article by the author and the words shall not be taken in their literal sense. The author has tried to show a mirror to the male gender for their wrongdoings which they have been committing for the longest time with their opposite gender. Dowry is not only an offence but a sin. This wrongdoing and malpractice must be abolished from the society. Every man shall make a promise to himself and his better half that he will not take a single penny as dowry from his wife’s family.
The opinions expressed in this article are the author’s personal opinions and do not concern the website.
This article is written by Pranav. He is an advocate and primarily practises in the courts of Haryana.
