The idea for this write-up was triggered by a recent news clip on the incident of a young lady in kerala was thrown out from her husband’s family after two years of marriage (once-in-a-life-timemarriage!) just by sending three thalaks (muthalak) by whatsapp by her “beloved” husband, working in the Gulf. Isn’t it a sign of progress of our society!

Of course, this is the 21st century of LPG (Liberalisation, Privatisation & globalisation) . In this globalised world where state-of-the-art technology & top-notch equipment enhance the quality of life, women are still sidelined in every sphere; be they at work or at home, because of the shallow vision of religious leaders, parochial views of political leaders & the shallowness of our education which seems to be regressive, rather than progressive.

But even today, when the greedy ones in the mightiest nation think of settling in mars, when monarchs reign along with the mother of parliaments (in Britain. Oh what a paradox!), when male domination is held high by almost all religious leaders, women, the half of humanity, are still confined to the 4 walls of their kitchens.
Women are considered inferior, not just in Saudi Arabia, but in the whole gulf, in every nation of africa, & certainly in India and Pakistan.
To preach in volumes on the equality of genders in broad day light & to suppress women to any extent, need the thickness of hippopotamus skin. While the so-called enlightened politicians oppress women with their hypocritic irrational logic even in the domain of governance, there is hardly any ray of hope in the horizon for the empowerment of women.

It is high time we realised that this practice of dowry remains a pervasive & devastating issue prevails only in underdeveloped nations, perpetuating the oppression of women in every domain of human activity. This so-called ‘unquestionable’ custom, often justified by regressive dogmatic concepts of religions, reinforces the notion that women are commodities to be bought and sold.

Why even the enlightened doctors, architects & engineers are not ashamed to demand dowry. When women rub shoulders with men in almost every field, a society can progress only with liberated women from the clutches of regressive religious dogmas & from the narrow-minded political leaders who pretend to be be-all and end-all.

The consequences are dire: life-long financial burdens on families, domestic violence against women, moral policing, & even deaths related to caste and tribe prevailing at a time when progressive nations boast of gender equality & respect for the inalienable human rights. These centuries old superstitions & precedents are further embedded by unchallengeable (!) religious leaders who hardly practise what they preach.
In addition, dowry perpetuates the notion that women are inferior to men, & lack inherent values. As women increasingly participate in various fields alongside men, demanding or giving dowry is certainly a thing of stone age, & it must be condemned. It is imperative that we challenge & dismantle these oppressive systems, promoting a culture of equality, respect, (yes, respect) and empowerment for women.

Only when women are respected & their multifaceted efforts are appreciated, a society can be considered progressive, & quality in life can be achieved.

Let’s learn that the earlier we realise that the passivity of women is their strength & it is vital for the perpetuation of mankind. Let there be some discerning ability in us to acknowledge the hard work of women, before it is too late.