Statement
Bride burning is becoming popular in parts of India and could be considered a ritual amongst the culture. I will discuss bride burning as a ritual and bring to light the meaning of dowry in India as well as the marriage process.
Research focus
Although dowry has been the cultural norm in India, recently, it has become a violent act. Bride burning is now seen as a ritual and is becoming more and more popular amongst the culture. My goal is to inform the public about Indian expectations in marriage.
1. If families do not have dowry to give, why do they force their daughters to get married?
2. Why has bride burning become so popular?
3. What traditions are consistent in bride burning?
Purpose
My research will inform readers of the cultural differences between western culture and Indian culture. As I was deciding which topic to write about, I came across bride burning in India as a potential topic. As I read more into it, I was in shock and could not believe this was happening to women. I feel as though not enough people know of this ritual and I would like to inform more people about it.
Plan
I will conduct my research using a newspaper article outlining the increase in bride burning. I will also use multiple academic journals that discusses dowry and marriage that I found on Anthro source. Our Bodley textbook also gave footnotes to a scholarly journal which I will also use to back up my proposal. I went on google to find anything written about the topic, I then used our Ithaca Library database and through Anthro source, I found various journals and scholarly articles on my topic. I will be taking the approach of MLA citation instead of the anthropological way of APA as I am more familiar with MLA....
... middle of paper ...
... marriage and the truth about dowry.
Bibliography
1. Delhi, Rahul. "Indian dowry deaths on the rise.” The Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group, n.d. Web. 11 Apr. 2014.
2. Bodley, John H.. "Chapter 9: Hinduism and Islam in South Asia." Cultural Anthropology: Tribes, states, and the global system. 5. Ed. Lanham, Md.: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2011. 325-326. Print.
3. Parameswaran, Radhika. "Coverage of "Bride Burning" in the "Dallas Observer": A Cultural Analysis of the “Other.” “Frontiers: A Journal of Women Studies 16.2/3 (1996): 69. Ithaca College Library. Web. 13 Apr. 2014.
4. Stone, Linda, and Caroline James. "Dowry, Bride-burning, And Female Power In India." Womenʼs Studies International Forum 18.2 (1995): 125-134. http://rmitchellculturalanthro.weebly.com/uploads/2/3/7/6/23767919/dowryreading.pdf. Web. 8 Apr. 2014.
The wife 's desires for a girl also can be unselfish in their eyes by saying they are protecting them from a life of poverty since they had not yet had a son who could provide their prosperity. “Dowry deaths” are also an age old tradition that is a custom for the religion. But with the heavy problem of gendercide, the government outlawed the use of a dowry. But since tradition is so heavy and rich it still happens. The families want to live up to expectations and even if it is not “required” it still looks good for a family to compensate the other in a social standing. The problem with this is that they still see females as burdens even though there is no requirement to provide a dowry. It is the age-old tradition to give a dowry that is hurting the females. The old ways need to be adapted, and the culture itself needs to understand that it is okay not to provide a dowry. This is the only way change for females can come and ensure them a success and longevity in their
* A woman entering into the institute of marriage had to be equipped with a dowry. The husband-to-be had to prove that he could support his new bride in the lifestyle she was accustomed to.
“Arranging a Marriage in India” by Serena Nanda is a well written, informative article aimed at sharing the view of the Indian culture on arranged marriages and also showing how much effort is put into the process of arranging a marriage. Our own culture has evolved into accepting the fact that we are all independent individuals who could not imagine having someone else make such a significant decision for us. Serena Nanda does an excellent job of using her sources within the society as evidence of the acceptance of the arranged marriage aspect of their culture.
Vedic culture seems to have conflicting views regarding its attitude towards women, specifically its attitude towards a woman’s sexuality. This conflict can be seen by contrasting the ways in which women are treated in sacrificing rituals with how they are treated in a more intimate atmosphere, such as lovemaking, which is still often treated as a ritual in and of itself; ritual regarding fertility, love, and childbirth. To represent the roles of women in ritual, Stephanie W. Jamison has written “Sacrificed Wife, Sacrificer’s wife, which is a description and evaluation of women’s roles in ritual and hospitality in ancient India.
...l Brides Were Used As Currency." Arranged Marriages- Past & Present. N.p., n.d. Web. 2
Originally, after choosing my topic, I had planned on focusing on the traditions of Muslim marriage-- however, the more I researched the more corruption was unveiled within the sacrament. I don’t know about you all, but I find controversial things far more interesting. I would like to preface my speech by saying although many of the practices I am going to speak about are widely accepted throughout the Middle East—however, this does not make them justifiable. Like all controversial topics, there are two sides to this argument. Arranged marriages, child marriage, and polygamy are practices passed off as “traditions,” but it is my goal to shed some light on the topic. It is not uncommon for couples to marry based off caste and wealth rather than
In the article Arranging a Marriage in India, Serena Nanda, a professor of Anthropology at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, writes about what she learned about arranged marriages in India from interviewing informants and participating in arranging a marriage herself. Nanda brought in some American biases about how marriage and love are “supposed” to work. She initially had trouble accepting why someone would want or let another arrange their marriage instead of seeking a partner themselves. Nanda’s difficulty understanding arranged marriages, is a result of having grown up in a culture that leaves such decisions to the individual. Furthermore, if the quotes given in the article are an indication, Nanda let her biases influence her conduct
Girls all over the world are forced into marriages due to financial necessity, tradition and to ensure their future. Most of these girls married are at a young age: “One third of the world’s girls are married before the age of 18 and 1 in 9 are married before the age of 15”( “Child Marriage Facts and Figures”). The young ages of those being married reveal how crucial it is to resolve this problem. When child marriage occurs the parents of the bride usually chose the groom for their daughters; and these grooms can be three times older than the young brides. Some children are brought into the world of marriage at the of 8 or sometimes less depending on their cultural views. The following can be used to help reduce the impact of early marriage: reinforcing laws that are passed against child marriages, and providing information on contraceptives to victims of early marriage. The most efficient way of resolving the problem of child marriage is through educating the people who practice it about its adverse effects.
“One woman dies every hour due to dowry related reasons on an average in the country” (“The Times of India”). Dowry system is profoundly an immoral custom which is dominant in India; where the family of a bride have to offer money, gold or expensive items like car, refrigerator to the groom’s family. However, dowry was considered as a traditional ritual where gifts were given to the daughter and her new family by her parents with their will. Dowry has been practiced in our societies from a very long time, even the ancient Romans used to carry out this ritual. “Romans used to exchange the gifts and dowry” (“Weddings, Marriages and Divorce”). Dowry system is becoming fatal gradually, but there are fewer people who notice the consequences of it.
Dowry murders have become a major problem in India’s society today. The physical violence on a bride and financial strain and stress on the family of the bride is outrageous. Everyday Dowry death cases all over India are reported. Dowry murders were banned in 1961 but the ban was never enforced. The number of dowry deaths is still rising today because the law against dowry is not enforced. Dowry is still happening in most Indian families. In India people like to stick to traditions even if it is illegal. The tradition of dowry murders has been carried on for decades. In India’s society today, Indian women are becoming more independent and India’s older generation and men do not like the fact that women of India are gaining more rights and more freedom.
For the duration of time, society perceives men as superior, which infused to their cultural aspect in life. Society instilled male dominance to the minds of young children, imposing a role each sex must play. Girls are slaves of society, submitting to men as their master. And child brides are a perfect way to exhibit patriarchy society (Ludden). The young girl would be married off to take care of her own family, crippling them in attaining an education and getting a job. Girls were not meant to work (Radu). It is also said that the purpose of marrying off girls young was to keep their attractiveness. Roberta Radu says, “'Virginity is an "asset" that families customarily trade for substantial sums of money, so marriage is arranged as early as possible in order to preserve the girl's "desirability". Out of all of these inducements money was the biggest factor. Parents would arrange their daughter marriage due to poverty. The bride’s family would receive a dowry, basically trading girls for money. Again, girls were burdens and the parents used child marriage as a relief...
The ramayana of Tulasi das mention about the dowry system than prevalent, gold, jewels shawls, Elephants, horses, cows with gifted horns and hoofs, servants and immovable property like land and houses were are gifted away as dowry, villages also given as dowry.
While arranged marriages are still a common practice, and some girls believe that there are benefits from the arranged marriage, some future brides feel uncertain and scared of getting married because it would mean that they would have to leave the comfort of their home. Not only that, but it is not uncommon for the family of the groom to put extra pressure on their new daughter-in-law. Everything, including her behavior, her clothing, and her housework will be under observation. Whether or not arranged marriages are the best way to create families or find love, it is interesting to see how there is not just one way to get married.
Amanda Hitchcock. 2001. “Rising Number of Dowry Deaths in India.” Annual Editions: Anthropology 11/12, 34th Edition. Elvio Angeloni. New York: McGraw-Hill Higher Education.
Many of the marriages in India are arranged. While the tradition is becoming less and less popular, parents will often search to find the right partner for their children. It is not just two people getting married,