Thus Spake the Divine - The Evil Of Dowry

Thus Spake the Divine

The Evil Of Dowry

Having come and stayed in Chennai for some time, there is something that has upset me. I just want to share this matter with you. There are a lot of young women who have attained marriageable age but are not married yet. They come here with their parents with a prayer for early marriage. I can understand the trauma that these women go through.

What is the reason that even after 25 to 30 years, their marriage has not taken place? Don’t blame the Sharda Act, which prevents marriage of girls only below 14 years. The actual reason is our own indifference.

In this modern world, conducting a marriage calls for a huge amount of expenditure. Over and above this, the bridegroom’s family demands massive dowry and domestic items from the bride’s parents. When many people are struggling even for their day-to-day expenses, how will it be possible for them to save a colossal amount of money for performing their daughter’s marriage? It is pathetic that such girls have remained unmarried only due to financial constraints.

The matter does not stop here. There are instances when parents send their unmarried daughters for employment. They make their daughter earn and save for her own marriage. Initially, those who sent their daughter for a job did so with reluctance, but now it has become a routine. Girls taking up jobs after attaining puberty is totally against the customs of our country, leave alone working and moving around with men. This leads to complications and uncalled-for events. I cannot shut my eyes to these matters. Whether you like it or not, I need to speak out what is in my mind because it is my duty to do so.

Parents of boys should vow that they will never ever ask for dowry. If everything is going well for them, they themselves should come forward to perform the wedding. They must give up the foolish thoughts that asking for dowry is a matter of pride and not seeking dowry will lead to people suspecting that something is wrong with their boy. People sacrifice many things for their country, language, political ideologies and so on. Can’t they sacrifice dowry for the sake of our own Dharma?

Taking dowry and extravagant spending on marriages should come to a halt. Instead of doing charity for name and fame, people should offer financial assistance to relatives who are not able to meet the marriage expenses of their daughters. Marriages for girls should be performed at the right time and at the right age in keeping with the Codes of Dharma for women as also Codes of Dharma for the society.

It is the women who are nurturers of our Dharma. We should not fail in our duty of protecting the Dharma of our women. It is very vital that the women get married at the right marriageable age and become Goddess Lakshmi of the house (Grahalakshmi).

Dowry, which acts as a deterrent to timely marriage, should be totally abolished from our country. I don’t have the authority to force you to follow what I say in terms of dowry. However, I see invitations printed in my name, which read, “With the blessing of Acharya Swami”. I would only request those who insist on dowry not to print their invitation with my name any more!

This article is a snippet from the Book Thus Spake the Divine, is available online at www.giri.in and across Giri Trading Agency Private Limited, A chain of Speciality Stores dealing in all kinds of products needed in Indian Culture and Tradition.

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