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Don’t get provoked by the title and slap me. But this seems to be the motto of many families in Harayana. If you’ve got to get a bride for your son, just get your daughter married into the family of the bride. Weird isn’t it? As though this in itself is not enough, minor girls are being bartered to meet this almost-mandatory social custom.
I do understand many of us have got our sisters or daughters married in the families from which we bring daughters-in-law to our own houses, but that is something done out of your free will and personal preferences. Here it seems for many poor families exchanging their daughters for their sons’ brides, is the only alternative.
May I ask why? If I’m not mistaken is it because by exchanging you save on dowry? Or, is it because the bride’s parents want to ensure better security for their daughters? Or is it because it’s customary in some communities? After all how long will girls be treated as commodities?
Whatever the reason, how long will we walk in the dark tunnel of narrow-mindedness? There is light at the other end. Shouldn’t we quicken our pace to see light?
Image source: Topnews
News Source :The Economic Times
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It does look like this state is pretty rigid in its mindset. Ok, maybe intercaste marriage restrictions is something you might still want to tolerate ,but bartering a girl child and that too a minor is enraging.
I can really agree with you on this.BUY BRIDES ? I thought that brieds only bought grooms. good that they are on demand.
If everything goes well then its fine, BUT if the sister is having any problem with her husband/inlawas, the brother will tend to treat his wife the same way...that’s the worst part.
Nice to see you here and I completely agree with you on this point.
i agree with you. Its rather shocking to know that with the sole purpose of relieving themselves from financial burden, they marry off by bartering. The narrow-mindedness and greed of our society is compelling poor families to think that way.
Its true that prohibition of intercaste marriages is objectionable, but compared to bartering brides, this is still tolerable because still it gives you choice to select within your own community.
Its true that prohibition of intercaste marriages is objectionable, but compared to bartering brides, this is still tolerable because it gives you choice to select within your own community. Your choice may be limited but you aren’t forced to marry someone. In bartering, the girl is not even aware of the other family and many times she’s forced into it.
Bartering was a part of our culture earlier. But with the passage of time it has almost disappeared. It's disgusting if it's still observed in some parts of country. It's the failure of state machinery that they are not able to check such inhumane traditions.
This nonsense was a part of our culture for centuries. It's just one example of Haryana but I think it happens in other states too but it doesn't get the media attention.