The Glitter of Weddings, and the Cruelty of Dowry
In India, weddings are called “festivals.” Lakhs of lights, the sparkle of sherwanis and saris, music and dance in hotel halls, and crores blown away in a single night. But pause for a moment—whose screams are being silenced behind this glitter? This shine is worth ₹10.79 lakh crore—India’s fourth-largest industry. An average wedding costs ₹20–30 lakh. That’s twice the cost of 18 years of education. This is why, from the moment a daughter is born, parents start calculating wedding expenses instead of education expenses. And from there, the demon of dowry rises. ❗️ Lakhs of daughters are killed in the womb—“Don’t raise a burden.” ❗️ Those who are born, their education is cut short—“Save for the wedding.” ❗️ And those who reach marriage face a burning furnace—“The dowry was too little.” Some spine-chilling statistics: ๐ด In 2022, 6,450 dowry murders—18–20 daughters killed every single day. ๐ด In just five years (2017–22), over 35,000 such deaths. ๐ด In one year alone: Uttar Pradesh 2,218...