The practice of dowry is illegal in India yet it still manages to weave its way into desi marriages under the guise of terms like ‘wedding gifts’ or ‘wedding budget’ that the bride’s family has to give/incur. And as Redditor u/gigibuffoon narrates, surprisingly, even affluent and educated men ask for it.
Despite having studied in the US and making a 6-figure salary there, the guy in question decided not to marry an accomplished and good looking woman in the absence of dowry. He reasoned, “what will the society think if I settled for less than a house? I’m this successful. The minimum I should be given is a decent house.”
Dear Indian men, please teach your friends to say no to dowry from india
The Reddit user added how they failed to talk him out of it and how that affected their friendship. They shared the story in the hope that others were more successful in veering their friends in the right direction. The incident sparked a discussion on education not being a true sign of intelligence and the possible logic behind a woman’s family agreeing to give such ‘gifts’ even in this day and age.
What would you do if you found yourself in a similar situation where a friend/family member asked for ‘wedding gifts’?