Love, not dowry, makes a marriage complete!

It's a wedding season in India. Last few weeks, I have attended few of the marriages. The first question that anyone ask was on how much the marriage is settled?. In India, most of the marriages are still finalizes over money I.e Dowry. The amount of marriage settlement that I have attended in last few weeks varies from 600k to 1800k. So it is all about the groom family who fixes the amount for marriages and that too after selecting the girl of their choice. If their demand were not met, then they wont get ready for alliance. They need the amount in cash, if the girls family afford to bear the expense, then they have to handed the anount to the boys family.

Hold on.....Wait!.

In case you are wondering, that that amount would suffice the requirement then you are wrong. This not the only amount over which marriages were fixed. Apart from this, the girls family also have to bear with many other expenses. From spending on household item, to managing the guest. They were always over burden still they never show their inability. Recently, in one the engagement function, I saw the huge cache of household item given to the boys family.

Kitchenware: Pots, pans, dishes, silverware, cooking utensils etc.
Appliances: Toaster, blender, coffee maker, microwave etc

In many cultures, a girl's father gives household items on her wedding day as a symbolic gesture of setting her up for a new life in her marital home. This is a age old prsctice signifying their support for her new family and providing her with essential items to start her domestic life. This is often goes with the underlying idea of establishing financial security and showing acceptance of the marriage by the bride's family. Giving home essentials as wedding gifts symbolizes the beginning of a new household for the couple. This is to signify that they are starting a new chapter in their lives together and will soon be building a home, often with the help of these practical items provided by well-wishers.

However, it is important to be mindful of the potential for this practice to be misconstrued as dowry, which is illegal in many regions and can be exploitative. The household items represent the bride's ability to contribute to her new household and manage domestic responsibilities. This practice varies widely depending on the culture and region, with some places placing more emphasis on the exchange of specific items than others. In some situations, the giving of household items can be seen as a form of dowry, where the bride's family is pressured to provide large amounts of valuables to the groom's family, which can be exploitative and harmful.

If we look at the other aspect, the home essentials were given as wedding gifts and it has various references :

• It represents a supportive gesture towards the couple as they embark on their married life, providing them with the basic necessities to set up their new home.

• Newlyweds often need to furnish their home with essential items like kitchenware, bedding, towels, and appliances, which can be a significant expense, making these gifts very useful.

• In many cultures, gifting home essentials at weddings is deeply ingrained in tradition, signifying the importance of establishing a stable home life.

The dowry system has been prevalent in India since long. This is the societal mindset where a bride's family is expected to provide a significant amount of cash, jewelry, and other valuables to the groom's family as a condition for marriage. While the household items were considered as a gifts to begun a new chapter, the cash given before the marriages were the relevant part of the dowry. Sometimes it is the bride family who wanted to influence the aociety. The 1.8Cr marriages is all about showing the affluence and wealth to the society. Ultimately leading to setting up a standard for others.

Whatever, all these relates to, I find the practice very unusual even in the 21 century. Rather than setting up a new example, people still following up with old prsctices and considered themselves to be educated and modernized. In my opinion, they should stop the prsctice and bring equality in the society.

Peace!!

Namaste @steemflow

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