Announc: 5th Dowry Conference in India

[N. Ganesan]

Yashwant Malaiya <malaiya at CS.COLOSTATE.EDU> wrote:

>I have, in my collection, a book giving extensive
>data about a certain trading community, published
>around 1915. Its editor complains about a major social
>problem. A lot of young men remain unmarried because
>they can not afford to pay the bride price. Rich
>older men can get brides very easily. If the editor
>were alive today, he would be happy to see that the
>problem has ceased to exist.

Interesting. What is the caste discussed in the 1915 book?
Among tamil castes also, the "toTuvilai" (`bride-price'/parisam)
paid to girls' families has decreased or stopped; Reversely, dowry
is getting established; previously dowry was only with Chettiars.

Regards,
N. Ganesan



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