INTRODUCTION: Dowry,is in existence since long.

Till the middle of the 19th centry,dowry was in the form of voluntary gift of pure affection .It was only in the last 50years that,dowry has begun to assume scandalous propositions.There are number of factors that accounted for cause of dowry mainly our male dominating society such as patriarchal structure,custom,status of woman and most importantly greed which lead to the growth of dowry. Today one dowry death case is reported every hour.This problem has risen,and assumed alarming shape,bchut still,some people use dowry as a means to display and enhance their social status and economic worth. The Dowry Prohibition Act,1961 was enacted with the intent to curb the evil practice of dowry.Inorder to make it more effective and stringent it was amended in the year of 1984 and 1986.But legislation alone is not sufficient to check this social evil.All the educated youth,men and women of society need to control it. HISTORY OF DOWRY Ancient Period:(Pre-vedic period) In the pre-vedic period,the dowry system was probably unknown.A search for dowry would have to move backward into antiquity.Then came vedic period,which was Golden period of women. Vedic period:During Vedic age,marriage was not a social contract but a necessity,in law.After brahamacharya it was essential for a young man to enter into family life grahastha ashrama in which he had to perfprm various religious rites toward his ancestors.And these rites could not be performed without a wife.In this sense woman had equal status with men in those times.A Wife,thus,was known as better half of man. Rigveda,the Brahamanas text has described wife as helpmate of man at the sacrificial ceremonies.Dowry and bride- price came into being after the practice of monogamous marriage had become prevalent. Dowry is paid in cash or kind by the brides family to the grooms family along with the giving away of the bride(Kanyadana).The word Hundaappears to be derived from Hunda which means pot.This could be due to the practice of offering dowry in a pot.According to Mitakshara,property of any description belonging to woman is stridhan.It may be gift from relations or a gift from strangers.According to Dayabhaga:her subsistence ,her ornaments,her perquisites and her gains are the separate property of women.Stridhan is known as the absolute property of women. She exclusively can enjoy it,her husband has no right to use it except in distress.But on the other hand,it remarked that the husband had dominion and full control.Stridhan is known as the absolute property of the women.This stridhan was

given out of love and affection and at the same time constituted a sort of financial security in adverse circumstances.The Varadakshina and Kanyadana,these two aspects of Hindu marriage,i.e.gift two the bridegroom and bride got entangled and assumed the shape of dowry for obtaining of which compulsion,coertion began Dowry,is in existence since long.Till the middle of the 19th centry,dowry was in the form of voluntary gift of pure affection .It was only in the last 50years that,dowry has begun to assume scandalous propositions.There are number of factors that accounted for cause of dowry mainly our male dominating society such as patriarchal structure,custom,status of woman and most importantly greed which lead to the growth of dowry. Today one dowry death case is reported every hour.This problem has risen,and assumed alarming shape,bchut still,some people use dowry as a means to display and enhance their social status and economic worth. The Dowry Prohibition Act,1961 was enacted with the intent to curb the evil practice of dowry.Inorder to make it more effective and stringent it was amended in the year of 1984 and 1986.But legislation alone is not sufficient to check this social evil.All the educated youth,men and women of society need to control it. Dowry,is in existence since long.Till the middle of the 19th centry,dowry was in the form of voluntary gift of pure affection .It was only in the last 50years that,dowry has begun to assume scandalous propositions.There are number of factors that accounted for cause of dowry mainly our male dominating society such as patriarchal structure,custom,status of woman and most importantly greed which lead to the growth of dowry. Today one dowry death case is reported every hour.This problem has risen,and assumed alarming shape,bchut still,some people use dowry as a means to display and enhance their social status and economic worth. The Dowry Prohibition Act,1961 was enacted with the intent to curb the evil practice of dowry.Inorder to make it more effective and stringent it was amended in the year of 1984 and 1986.But legislation alone is not sufficient to check this social evil.All the educated youth,men and women of society need to control it. Dowry is paid in cash or kind by the brides family to the grooms family along with the giving away of the bride(Kanyadana).The word Hundaappears to be derived from Hunda which means pot.This could be due to the practice of offering dowry in a pot.According to Mitakshara,property of any description belonging to woman is stridhan.It may be gift from relations or a gift from strangers.According to Dayabhaga:her subsistence ,her ornaments,her perquisites and her gains are the separate property of women.Stridhan is known as the absolute property of women. She exclusively can enjoy it,her husband has no right to use it except in distress.But on the other hand,it remarked that the husband had dominion and full

control.Stridhan is known as the absolute property of the women.This stridhan was given out of love and affection and at the same time constituted a sort of financial security in adverse circumstances.The Varadakshina and Kanyadana,these two aspects of Hindu marriage,i.e.gift two the bridegroom and bride got entangled and assumed the shape of dowry for obtaining of which compulsion,coertion began to be used.Dharmshastras recognise that some from of presents in cash or kind has to be given to bridegroom called Varadakshina.Dowry