Christians and Sikhs have shown a sharp increase in dowry leading to higher Average dowries than Hindus and Muslims while average net dowry in Muslim marriages is only slightly lower than among Hindus and has remained stable, a study of about 40,000 marriages that took place in rural India between 1960 and 2008 has shown.
The analysis is based on data from 2006 REDSthe most recent source of dowry data for Indiacovering 17 states that contain about 96% of Indias Population, according to a blog on the site.
The blog focuses on rural India, where it says dowry remains a widespread phenomenon despite being illegal since 1961. According to the 2006 Rural Economic and Demographic Survey (REDS), dowry was paid in 95% of marriages during 1960-2008, it said.
Keraladisplayed stark and persistent dowry Inflation since the 1970s and has the highest average dowry in recent years. Other states with inflationary trends are Haryana, Punjab, and Gujarat.
Given Keralas religious composition26% Muslims, 18% Christians, and 55% Hindusthis trend is compatible with the differential trends by religion described earlier. Similarly, the inflationary trend in Punjaba majority Sikh stateis also consistent with the rise in Sikh dowries. On the other hand, average dowry decreased in Odisha, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and Maharashtra, according to the blog.
It said that average net dowry has been stable over time with some inflation before 1975 and after 2000.