A Question of Dowry and Everything’s Arranged

Thanks to these both story, I was exposed to the genuine purpose of dowry system among the Indian culture. From my understanding, the dowry which is in the form of land, gold or cash will be brought from the woman to her husband in a marriage. Dowry is supposed to act as a security or insurance to the bride when she is married to the bridegroom. But in these stories, dowry acted as a bribe and a gateway to marriage.

First, let us have a look at the story “Everything’s Arranged”. Here, the dowry acts as a bribe for the bridegroom family so that Rukumani will be able to get married faster. This is because there are rumors that Rukumani is in love with a Chinese boy, Johnny. So, in order to save the marriage form going on, the parents of Rukumani increase $20,000 in the dowry “Already gossips were spreading rumours, and if these rumours reached the ears of the bridegroom’s family, they might withdraw their offer, and it would be impossible to marry Rukumani off.” By using the reason to “save the risk of family disgrace” I don’t think that the dowry system is being well treated here.

In the second story “A Question of Dowry”, the dowry acts as a gateway to marriage. In more explicit meaning will be if the bride family can afford to give the dowry then the marriage will be continue, if not then it will not be happening. Mr. Ramachandran couldn’t afford to buy a necklace for his daughter as her dowry because the land that he supposed to sell off is depleted in its value. And so when he called up Thiruchelvam who is the bridegroom and told him about the situation, he cancelled the wedding without second thoughts and so “Sivasothie aka the bride to be went into the kitchen, he head bow modestly.” From this we can see that the dowry is not treated fairly because the bridegroom sees the dowry as something vital in a marriage but in my opinion, you will still marry a girl without worried much about the dowry if you truly love the girl. LOVE is the core in building a family and dowry is just an insurance.