Dowry prohibition and law a socio legal study

Marriage has been considered as the most sacred, pious and indispensable institution in Indian society. The most common endeavour of the mankind is an inherent instinct for companionship. Since ages, the underlying aim behind the institution of marriage has been the fulfillment of the need of companionship and lineage. As the institution of marriage came into existence, it gave rise to several marriage related rituals, customs, ceremonies and traditions. In many communities, gifts and valuables were given to the bride by her parents and relatives at the time of wedding while she had to leave her parental home and become part of her husband's family. It was considered as an auspicious custom that also served as a support to establish and arrange newly required household amenities. In those times, women were neither employed nor had any personal source of income. Hence the economical value of brides was considered to be lower in comparison to her bridegroom. Therefore the custom of dowry also originated as a compensation for this lower economic value of bride to her bridegroom and in-laws who were supposed to bear all her financial expenses after marriage. Dowry was also looked upon as a compensation paid by the father of the bride to his son-in-law for the maintenance of his daughter as well as to the parents of groom for the expense they had borne while in educating and upbringing their son. Moreover, the daughters were not given any share in the parental property therefore dowry was impliedly a kind of share in their father's wealth given to them at the time of their marriage.