New Delhi: Christians and Sikhs have seen a significant increase in dowry, leading to a higher average dowry increase than Hindus and Muslims, while the average net dowry in Muslim marriages is slightly lower than that of Hindus and has remained stable, around 40,000. A study of marriages took place. Shown in rural India from 1960 to 2008.
The analysis is based on data from 2006 REDS – the most recent source of dowry data for India – covering 17 major states, which account for about 96% of India’s population, according to a blog world Bank site on gender.
The blog focuses on rural India, where it says that dowry is a widespread phenomenon, despite being illegal since 1961. According to the 2006 Rural Economic and Demographic Survey (REDS), dowry was paid in 95% of marriages during 1960-2008, it said.
“Dowry is positively correlated with upper caste status and the caste hierarchy of dowry payments has not changed over time. According to a blog authored by S Anukreethy, Nishith Prakash and Sungoh Kwon, upper caste marriages have the highest dowry, followed by Other Backward Classes (OBC), Scheduled Castes (SC), and Scheduled Tribes (ST). .
stark differences
It added that although the average dowry trend at the national level is flat, there are substantial differences across states over time.
Kerala Persistent and consistent dowry inflation since the 1970s and the highest average dowry in recent years. Other states with inflationary trend are Haryana, Punjab and Gujarat.
“Given the religious composition of Kerala – 26% Muslim, 18% Christian, and 55% Hindu – this trend is consistent with the previously described trends differing by religion. Similarly, the inflationary trend in Punjab – majority Sikh The state is also in line with the increase in Sikh dowry. On the other hand, average dowry has decreased in Odisha, West Bengal. Tamil Nadu, and Maharashtra,” according to the blog.
It said that the average net dowry has remained remarkably stable with some inflation before 1975 and after 2000. This trend in pure dowry is an imitation of the trend of gross payment by the bride’s family to the groom’s family.
“The flow of payments in the opposite direction, that is, from the bride to the bridegroom, is also positive, but significantly lower. While on an average, a groom’s family spends around Rs 5,000 (in actual) on gifts to the bride’s family, the bride’s Family gifts cost seven times as much, i.e. around Rs 32,000, which means the average actual net dowry is Rs 27,000,” according to the blog.
It states that the proportion of marriages with a negative net dowry, i.e. where the groom’s family paid more than the bride’s family in other ways, is non-zero, but quite small.
“Most marriages involved a positive net dowry payment to the groom’s family. While per capita income has increased in India during the period of our study, these steady trends mean that dowry as a share of household income has gradually declined at the national level,” the blog added.
The analysis is based on data from 2006 REDS – the most recent source of dowry data for India – covering 17 major states, which account for about 96% of India’s population, according to a blog world Bank site on gender.
The blog focuses on rural India, where it says that dowry is a widespread phenomenon, despite being illegal since 1961. According to the 2006 Rural Economic and Demographic Survey (REDS), dowry was paid in 95% of marriages during 1960-2008, it said.
“Dowry is positively correlated with upper caste status and the caste hierarchy of dowry payments has not changed over time. According to a blog authored by S Anukreethy, Nishith Prakash and Sungoh Kwon, upper caste marriages have the highest dowry, followed by Other Backward Classes (OBC), Scheduled Castes (SC), and Scheduled Tribes (ST). .
stark differences
It added that although the average dowry trend at the national level is flat, there are substantial differences across states over time.
Kerala Persistent and consistent dowry inflation since the 1970s and the highest average dowry in recent years. Other states with inflationary trend are Haryana, Punjab and Gujarat.
“Given the religious composition of Kerala – 26% Muslim, 18% Christian, and 55% Hindu – this trend is consistent with the previously described trends differing by religion. Similarly, the inflationary trend in Punjab – majority Sikh The state is also in line with the increase in Sikh dowry. On the other hand, average dowry has decreased in Odisha, West Bengal. Tamil Nadu, and Maharashtra,” according to the blog.
It said that the average net dowry has remained remarkably stable with some inflation before 1975 and after 2000. This trend in pure dowry is an imitation of the trend of gross payment by the bride’s family to the groom’s family.
“The flow of payments in the opposite direction, that is, from the bride to the bridegroom, is also positive, but significantly lower. While on an average, a groom’s family spends around Rs 5,000 (in actual) on gifts to the bride’s family, the bride’s Family gifts cost seven times as much, i.e. around Rs 32,000, which means the average actual net dowry is Rs 27,000,” according to the blog.
It states that the proportion of marriages with a negative net dowry, i.e. where the groom’s family paid more than the bride’s family in other ways, is non-zero, but quite small.
“Most marriages involved a positive net dowry payment to the groom’s family. While per capita income has increased in India during the period of our study, these steady trends mean that dowry as a share of household income has gradually declined at the national level,” the blog added.
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