Of late, we have heard a lot of people talk about how dowry is a social evil and why it should be scrapped from the face of the Earth.
And even though giving and receiving dowry is illegal in India, people have found other ways to get durable goods, cash, jewelry, and more from the bride’s family as a condition for marriage.
Apparently, now there’s a dowry rate card in the market. So, the amount of money the groom could demand from the bride’s side is directly proportional to his social and financial standing.
Taking to Twitter, playback singer Chinmayi Sripaada, whom you have heard in songs like ‘Titli’ and ‘Mast Magan’, shared about dowry rates in 2022, and apparently ‘Pre-Pandemic’ dowry was less. She said so after someone slid into her direct messages and unveiled what’s really going on in that section of our society which is often considered as progressive and educated as compared to others.
Dowry rates in 2022
Apparently ‘Pre Pandemic’ dowry was less.The pressure that parents put on themselves and so called educated doctors demanding 50 crores in Dowry.
1/2 pic.twitter.com/fcUY3e9PFP
— Chinmayi Sripaada (@Chinmayi) November 5, 2022
In the messages, the 27-year-old woman told Chinmayi that even middle-class people are demanding Rs 5-10 crore as dowry. She feels bad for her parents as they are two daughters and even guys with just a post-graduate degree are demanding huge money. The sheer entitlement is the reason why she isn’t bothered to get married.
The anonymous woman goes on to share that her mother keeps yelling at them as they didn’t get married pre-pandemic as the ‘dowry rates’ were pretty less then.
Interestingly, she came across a family wherein the guy is a surgeon who has studied at a tier-2 college. He was offered a Rs 50 crore dowry while his net worth is just Rs 50 lakhs. Even then they are treating the woman like a maid, making her do household chores all day.
She goes on to add that the reason these malpractices are still going on in the country is that neither women nor their families stand up for themselves.
“Men can wait till 32 for marriage. Women are disposable after 27.”
According to her, this is a huge trend, especially in the Telugu-speaking states of the country.
The unnamed woman further told Chinmayi that the groom’s family very smartly demand dowry after wedding cards start getting distributed. This is because after that refusing to go ahead with the wedding would bring shame to the bride’s family.
Apparently dowry gets demanded after wedding cards start getting distributed – because then it is ‘shame if a wedding is called off’. If only girls walked out like in that episode of Made In Heaven.
Oh 🤦🏽♀️🤦🏽♀️🤦🏽♀️🤦🏽♀️ to dingbats who ‘gossip’ about women who leave unhappy marriages pic.twitter.com/XQaYRlDb1x
— Chinmayi Sripaada (@Chinmayi) November 5, 2022
In another message, she told about a woman (an ENT doctor) who gave Rs 10 crores in two installments to a guy who studied in management quota.
Chinmayi was shocked to know that people in the country these days are demanding dowry in crores and that there’s an actual dowry rate card for 2022.
I am really wondering why these many in India are demanding crores in dowry like this.
So is there like an ‘actual’ dowry rate card for 2022? Please share since she wants to know 🙃 pic.twitter.com/gRqRdDeR9R
— Chinmayi Sripaada (@Chinmayi) November 5, 2022
From doctors to MBAs, everyone’s running this dowry race. Clearly, educational qualifications have nothing to do with basic decency.
People online were appalled upon reading their conversation and knowing the sad state of affairs in our society.
I know few MBBS doctors who get the dowry as in PG seat in management quota. The girls family not only pays for the wedding but also for the PG seat in crores for the guy. And the guys shamelessly flex this!!
— yellowHeart (@fumbleDee) November 6, 2022
While there are families (boy side) who demand dowry, there are some families (girl side) who openly state the dowry amount they’ll give for the daughter to marry off. Infact, I know of a family who didn’t ask a rupee, but the girl’s family demanded to give it.
— Enid Judith Dsouza (@enidjdsouza) November 7, 2022
Oh my god, really, 50 crore, I can’t believe, I think, she mistakenly use cr instead of lakhs…
First, u became a doc, then give 10-50 cr dowry, its Nonesense— ky (@democraciatwork) November 6, 2022
The problem is caste and financial background girls and their parents need,this will increase the demands made by men. Here in this chat too the girl mentions some guy with just 50lakhs networth got 5cr or something, so is it ok for a guy with 50cr networth ask 5cr dowry?
— Aswin (@AswIN_666) November 6, 2022
It’s very common in AP. I have not read the entire message but I can surely say that this case is from the AP/TS. NRIs demand more too. You can’t imagine what an NRI doctor will demand. So sad and partly enabled by the girls’ parents too. That’s even sadder.
— Naren.s (@Narenmbbs) November 6, 2022
1) Stop f*cking asking dowries. If you have forcefully asked for dowry, you are a sinner.
2) Stop treating ur child's marriage as your financial responsibility.Would happily let my daughter remain unmarried rather than letting her marry someone who trades her for money. https://t.co/kWqk32z0pl
— Karthik Chidambaram (@ckntcalvinklein) November 7, 2022
Damn, these dowry rates! https://t.co/wLaEy15anx
— Devakishor Soraisam (@devakishor) November 7, 2022
For every dickhead who asks for dowry there are tens of good honest and responsible boys who can get married without dowry. Parents should think if it actually makes sense to get their girl married with crores dowry to a boy who knows it’s wrong but takes it anyway. https://t.co/lcTqMBd9EJ
— Peter Gibbons (@tsknray) November 7, 2022
everything in this Chat is true https://t.co/jCt817B9dD
— Venkat Madala (@venky4a) November 7, 2022
That's why a feminist pressure group is a necessity. "Personal is political"
Women must come together and stand for themselves against such regressive systems- aka marriage- facade of love
Dowry is crime and we all have to stand against it. This is sick. https://t.co/3QHOXFYyo6— Surabhi Srivastava (@Surabhi28280475) November 7, 2022
Seen amongst South Indian colleagues ,not at all surprising , everyone has rates , from Bihar to kanya Kumari ! https://t.co/TFqvrZ6QBN
— Finding Nimo (@IntoxillectNimo) November 7, 2022
Horrible.
Disrespectful.
Disgusting.DOWRY IS A SOCIAL EVIL, IT'S LIKE CANCER . https://t.co/1IaaWEyK1v
— Suhaib (@SuhaibFaridi) November 7, 2022
Female infanticide, people treating women as burdens, commodities, mere objects of pleasure, and child-bearing machines, all these problems stem from the fact that people engage in dowry that robs families of their savings leaving them penniless oftentimes.
It’s so sickening that even women are a part of this stupidity.