Saturday, April 06, 2013

A scary future - Rain drops: அக்ரீமெண்ட்

If female infanticide continues at the same rate in Indian society, I am sure this day will come, quiet fast....

Do read the original article (it if you can read tamil) Rain drops: அக்ரீமெண்ட்

A rough translation here.

Title : Agreement

After ten long years of searching for a bride, finally Kasthuri's son's wedding is around the corner. Do you know what it would cost to get him married to a girl?

On the auspicious day, Sankaran puts the "thaali" on to Shankari's neck, and Shankari puts the "thaali" on to Shankaran's neck. It was decided between the groom and the bride, that they will exchange "thaali" and enter the married life as equals. Agreement number one.

Grooms mother, congratulates the brides parents, and says "We have raised him well with all our love, and he is very special to us. From now on, he is yours, please take care of him. We have got a dish washer, washing machine as wedding gifts. The apartment that we have bought for him, is fully furnished and ready to move in. He is undergone a one month training with Kitchen Master Dhanu. He even has got a certificate of course completion, he will cook very well". Agreement number two.

Bride's mother says, "Have no worries, we will handle him, by the way, you promised you will give 450 grams gold, 10 kilogram silver as wedding gift (dowry) to our daughter, what happened to that?" Agreement number three.

Grooms mother hands over the keys to the locker where the gold and sliver are deposited. She also hands over her son's Bank documents, ATM card, etc and requests, "Please do give him generous pocket money"

Finally, to her son and daughter in law - god bless you both, I will now leave, whenever you find time, please do visit me in the old age home, bye! - Agreement number four.

6 comments:

Kamala said...

Thank you for the super translation.

the g said...

Some comments I got in other social media platforms:

Dowry is bad whoever pays it. Fantasising that men will pay is not progress. Equality is what we are asking for not subjugation of men or vice versa GireeSh. Respect other humans. That is all

the g said...

Some comments I got in other social media platforms:

Scary future? 70% of women go through this in their present. Reversal of situation is not the solution. It is a joke. Elimination of such a thing is the solution. I am surprised at the line of thought Gireesh. Really.

the g said...

I guess where it hit a sweet spot for me was, within my family itself there is a imbalance in the number of boys vs girls. (Not that it was a choice, it happens to be so) Plus when I look at my friends circle too, majority have boys. As a father of 2 boys that article definitely struck a chord and it articulated the concern I had WRT my boys getting a wife!

Swapna said...

Gireesh, I think you need to try for a third one which might possibly change your perspective:) I just ran through my memory to check how many of my friends and relatives have sons...hardly 6(including 2 from Henley)and the rest 24 are girls! Hence the issue is with your circle(me being one amongst who has got son)and not the world:)So, Relax!!Our lions will easily get their lionesses without any dowry issues.

the g said...

+Swapna

I think we will give the third attempt a miss :)

But its really comforting to know its not all that bad, and your circle is kind of compensating for my circle....