The custom of dowry, long entrenched in India's male dominant society , has attained alarming proportions during the last few decades. There is hardly a day when the cries of dowry victims are not echoed by the media. One day we read that the bride was burned to death as she failed to bring in the expected dowry. The next day we come across a case where the bride was taken out on the pretext of sightseeing and pushed from the hill top and these are just those cases which are reported in the media. Apart from these we also have brides who are constantly harassed physically or mentally for failures to bring sufficient dowry.

Dowry normally means given during the marriage to the son in law of his parents either in cash or kind. The most common ele

Paul, Maden. Dowry and position of women in India.(1986) Inter-India publication, New Delhi.

ments of dowry in India include gifts such as clothes, jewelry, house, cars and other household goods. The dowry based marriages in Indian society are imposing a heavy burden on the bride's parents, especially on those who are not rich. The practice of dowry is glaring in parts of India where the status of women is less important than dowry. All these do indicate how the positions of women has brought down in the Indian society. This necessarily shapes a different bent of mind and attitudes of people in the contemporary Indian society in general and urban society in particular.

Some people says Dowry in modern time in India is not a chance event but a product of emergence and development of social forces over a period of time. Going back to past traditions marriage, to an Indian is one of the twelve sacraments enjoyed upon religion for purifying the body from inherited taint

Some common words found in the essay are:
Dowry Culture, India1986 Inter-India, indian society, Maden Dowry, Ranjane Brides, based marriages, middle class, uneven development, dowry based, dowry based marriages,
Approximate Word count = 659
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)