Re: [nukkad] The vote for Arya ji

["Net Geek" <>]

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Tip of the day:  Remember, this "nukkad" is international.
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Dear Nukkies

>the prevalent I am told has crept in from the Christian influence. I may be 
>totally wrong here and I am quite >willing to accept that I am wrong. if 
>netgeek or some others could >correct me. the Christian family's dowry 
>system was the share the girl >would receive. dowry however has become a 
>vicious circle - a man takes >dowry to pay his sisters dowry who offers 
>dowry for her prospective >sister in laws .. etc the cycle is never ending.

I have to agree that Ravi is right. The incidence of dowry is the least 
among the Nair clan (loosely comprising of Nair, Menon, Pillai, Nambiar and 
Panikkar) and highest among Christians. A more precise examination will show 
that it is the highest among Syrian Christians and within it more among 
Syrian Catholics. To the best of my knowledge dowry among Christians was the 
girl's share in the paternal property. The roots of this practice dates back 
to the agrarian past of Malayali Christains. In order to prevent in-laws 
staking claim in family property money was paid in leiu of the family share. 
Also please note that Christian women those days were confined to the role 
of housewives. Not that this is a valid reason to legitimise dowry but this 
factor somehow gave credence to the custom. However with more and more women 
getting educated and getting into the work force there is a defenite decline 
in this practice. Now a days Kerala Christian women are miles ahead of their 
fellow Hindu and Muslim sisters when it comes to social standing and 
awareness. This has led to a dramatic change in attitudes among men when it 
comes to marriage. Now a days, a Christain boy will prefer a working girl to 
dowry. That does not in any way mean that dowry is gone for good. It still 
exists mostly as a status symbol (not limited to Christians alone) but 
certainly on the downward spiral.


Bye


Netgeek
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