Is dowry necessary for marriage?
Is dowry necessary for marriage?
Most of the time, it is usually in the form of money that wives need to buy their clothes and other necessary items on the occasion of marriage. In nearly all Muslim marriages, for men who are on the verge of getting married, paying a dowry is a duty.
What significance does a dowry play in a marriage?
The dowry is intended to help set up the couple's new household, especially in cultures where it is rare for a woman to work outside the home. If a woman died without having any sons, her husband would have to return the dowry to the bride's family, deducting the value of the bride price.
Who pays the dowry in a marriage?
Bride price can be compared to dowry, which is paid to the groom, or used by the bride to help establish the new household, and dower, which is property settled on the bride herself by the groom at the time of marriage. Some cultures may practice both dowry and bride price simultaneously.
Why do Indian brides pay dowry?
In India, it has its roots in medieval times when a gift in cash or kind was given to a bride by her family to maintain her independence after marriage. During the colonial period, it became the only legal way to get married, with the British making the practice of dowry mandatory.
