Marriage to dowry system statistics and

psychology
It has been over 200,000 years since we evolved from Archaic
Homo-Sapiens
and 50,000 since the development of
behavioural modernity. Marriage was the need of our society for
its perpetual existence, integrity and kinship. There are
different customs in different societies for marriages. Polygamy
was the most common martial system recorded in Neolithic era.
Without the perception of twisted human emotions evolving,
our race adhere the practice in oblivion. Arranged marriage was
the cult in historic civilisation for preservation of religion,
wealth and knowledge. Repercussions of arranged marriages
had
already
prevailed
in
Mesopotamian
civilisations
Hammurabis code 1780 B.C where marriage system was akin
to slavery system. It was the consequence of imbalance in
development of our psychological state.
Furthermore obnoxious consequences of our different rituals
beliefs, imbalanced sex ratio, irrational reasoning of sins etc.
led to the birth of bride price and its participle dowry system.
Even the Hebrew bible advocates bride price. Their existence
can be traced in Babylon 1780 B.C, Greece 5 th B.C, Roman
empire, China up to 20th century and Indian sub continent since
20th century history. A logical study by great anthropologists
shows that in a society of lagging female sex ratio and
undeveloped region bride price prevails as the woman is
treated as labour and loss of labour costs money whereas in
regions of equal sex ratio, a rich man is free to choose between
the numerous females here the dowry system countered in.
Now a days dowry system has outdone the bride price system
as our civilisation is more developed and men are primarily
educated than women and enjoys liberty to choose their
spouse.

The problem related to dowry system now only exists in south

Asian, Arabian and African countries. According to NCAER
(National Council of Applied Economic Research, India) in Rural
India between 1960 -1995 93% of population paid dowry and in
between 19701994 94% were the culprit. In Rural Pakistan
19701993 97% hoisted their money and in Pakistan 1986
1991 87% had fallen prey to it whereas in Rural Bangladesh
between the intervals of 19451960, 19601975 ,19751990 ,
19901996 and in 2003 the numbers were 3%, 11%, 44%, 61%
and 76% respectively. This is just a small chunk of a big
statistical pie. I even lack the space to show the complete
analytical statistics of all countries so ergo I shall only discuss
the downtown South Asia.

Some more horrifying numbers are in Rural Karnataka, India

19601995 amount of 66,322 Rupees (1995) were paid as
dowry and the average magnitude was 6 annual village male
(brides father) wages. Rural Uttar Pradesh, India 19601995 an
amount of 46,096 Rupees (1995) was paid. In Rural southcentral India between1920s1980s a total of 4,792 Rupees
(1983). In Rural Tamil Nadu (India) 19701994 30,000 Rupees,
Delhi, India 19201984 a sum of 50,000 Rupees (1984). Rural
Bangladesh 1996 gratitude of 12,700 Taka (1996) was given
and in Rural Pakistan 19861991 18,196 Rupees were paid.
Statistics are not only limited to the rural areas but urban areas
also follows the same trend only difference it is not divulged
and hard to make an estimation of money moreover the
transfer of money doesnt go under the name of dowry.
There are eight types of marriage in Hinduism, namely Brahma
marriage, Daiva marriage, Arsha marriage, Prajapatya
marriage, Gandharva marriage, Asura marriage, Rakshasa
marriage, Paishacha marriage and none supports dowry but still
the custom has averted in our culture. Now these days with the
custom of dowry it is mandatory to pay dowry and in cases of
disputes which is inevitable leads to harassment, murder,

torment of brides by her in laws like a doe hunted by a pride

disintegrated form mob. According to liable source there is
death every hour related to dowry. In 2006 7681 dowry deaths
were reported while in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 these
numbers went up to 8093, 8172, 8383, 8391, 8618 and
respectively while the number dipped in 2012 to 8322 but the
drop is merely a glimmer of hope against this savage outset.
Dowry death is the fifth most frequent crime committed against
women. Torture tops this list and even few of torture cases are
related with dowry. Dowry deaths accounts for 4% of total
crime against women and 2% for injury related deaths. Red
zone in India is Uttar Pradesh alone accounting for 27% of
countrys tally. Some other purgatories for women are Bihar,
Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal they all
contribute about 67%. Although Rajasthan showed significant
improvement from 439 to 230 deaths from 2008 to 2009 but
this still this isnt enough to be admired yet. Nagaland and
Lakshadweep are two territories where any dowry death case is
barely registered. Female sex ratio of India was 940 in 2011
directly following these crimes committed against women.
In India, the payment of a dowry is prohibited in 1961 under
Indian civil law and subsequently by Sections 304B and 498A of
the Indian Penal Code. These laws were enacted to make it
easier for the wife to seek redress from harassment by the
husband's family. Anti-dowry laws have been criticized by
men's rights groups, who accuse women and their families of
misusing the laws but this side of act is merely significant to
the dark side which it disembarks. There were registered about
100k cases of cruelty by husband and in laws on bride in India
in 2011. Despite having numerous laws against dowry these
victims rarely gets justice before their sacrifice.

Bibliography

NCRB
CENSUS
Lok Sabha

Economic Times
Times of India
Wikipedia
Siwan-Anderson economy of dowry and bride price.