The Position of Women in Hindu Civilisation, from Prehistoric Times to the Present Day c7.s4.19

c7.s4.19

The dowry system did not stand as an impediment in daughter’s marriage in ancient India. In prehistoric times women were regarded as chattel and so it was the bride’s father, and not the bridegroom’s, who was regarded as justified in demanding a payment at the time of marriage. The bridegroom carried away the bride and deprived her family of her services. He could not have dreamt of demanding a further dowry or donation. Such a request, if ever made, would have been summarily turned down as preposterously unreasonable. The wife in these early times used to get no proprietary rights in her husband’s family. Nor had her father-in-law to provide any expensive education to her husband.