Check out 16 Return-To-Work Programs In India For Ambitious Women Like You!
Girl from Kerela called off her wedding over dowry and announced it on Facebook. Her post went viral encouraging many others.
Girl from Kerala, called off her wedding over dowry and announced it on Facebook. Her post went viral encouraging many others.
In India, besides poverty, illiteracy, economic inequality, etc, there’s one problem that is still a tradition: the dowry system. Even in our modern day where feminism showers the world, the Indian society is still haunted by the wrath of the dowry ‘responsibility.’
Dowry is the property, gifts or money that a bride must present to the groom’s family at the time of marriage. When this concept first arrived, it was a choice. Now, trying to escape the almost unbreakable grip of dowry is one not many can do.
Yet, there are certain cases like Remya Ramachandran’s, where the power of a ‘no’ can inspire the likes of many. Remya, from Kerala, cancelled her wedding with impeccable style and sense. She went onto Facebook and made an announcement: the reason behind her wedding revocation. Indeed, it was the demand for dowry, which began right after their engagement.
She says, “To all those asking for the date of my wedding, the family that before the engagement had said that they only wanted me, post the engagement, they were demanding 50 sovereigns of gold and 5 lakh rupees. As I am staunchly against dowry and because I believe that buying anything for a man and his family who are so unreliable is a loss, I don’t want to continue with the marriage.”
Remya is a brilliant reminder that we should all probably listen to the law under the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1962, where asking for dowry is strictly prohibited. Yet, due to the social shame that derives from not giving dowry to the groom’s family, people disregard this law. However, Remya Ramachandran shows us that it isn’t social shame, for she’s become a social icon.
After Remya made her Facebook post, it went viral. People began to congratulate her on her bravery and encouraged other women to be like her as well.
Once she saw the impact her post had made, Remya wrote, “I just wanted to let my circle know about cancellation of marriage, never expected this to break. Meanwhile, I would like to explain that the decision was my declaration. Never had been an intention to hurt anyone specifically. Please don’t use my post for personalised humiliation, instead use it against our social norms. People are ignorant for their own convenience and profit. Thank you once again.”
Remya is definitely an example of how women shouldn’t strive to be married. When she understood that this marriage wasn’t right for her and for anyone who is forced to give dowry, she called it off. This is something all women need to learn, from their childhood, that their lives don’t become useless if they don’t get married. This is women empowerment at its finest.
Cover image via Shutterstock
Currently a student, addicted to writing, eating, music and living life to the fullest. read more...
Women's Web is an open platform that publishes a diversity of views, individual posts do not necessarily represent the platform's views and opinions at all times.
Stay updated with our Weekly Newsletter or Daily Summary - or both!
UP Boards Topper Prachi Nigam was trolled on social media for her facial hair; our obsession with appearance is harsh on young minds.
Prachi Nigam’s photo has been doing the rounds on social media for the right reasons. Well, scratch that- I wish the above statement were true. This 15-year-old girl should ideally be revelling in her spectacular achievement of scoring a whopping 98.05% and topping her tenth-grade boards. But oddly enough, along with her marks, it’s something else that garners more attention – her facial hair.
While the trolls are driving themselves giddy by mocking this girl who hasn’t even completed her school yet, the ones who are taking her side are going one step ahead – they are sharing her photoshopped pictures, sans the facial hair, looking nothing less than a celebrity with captions saying – “Prachi Nigam, ten years later”.
Doctors have already diagnosed her with PCOD in their comments, based on photographic evidence. While we have names for people shamed for their weight – body shaming, for their skin colour- racism, for their age- age shaming, for being a female- sexism, this category of shaming where one faces criticism for their appearance has no name. With that, it also has zero shame attached to it.
Please enter your email address