session 4: DAUGHTERS OF LOST WISDOMS - DOWRY IN THE CONTEXT OF CHANGING TRADITIONS

Visual Testimony: I am woman - I once was a goddess

Expert Witness: Praveena Kodoth, Centre for Development Studies, Kerala

The globalised word has also irrevocably altered the cultural landsccape of communities that may have discriminated against their daughters but rarely destroyed them. Dowry too as a marker of increasing affluence and therefore a practice confined to the rich and porpertied class including the royalty and upper castes has now insidiously spread to those communities and cultures that had practices like bride price, stridhan, meher which in fact affirmed and not denied the worth and value of women.

The testimonies in this session will look at the impact of this cultural mainstreaming of adivasi, dalit and other minority communieties through looking at the devastation wrought by the fast spreading practice of dowry. A devastation that is corroding the communities from within through recasting the role of its women.



from every testifyer are some more photos, below the first photo of each one you can find her/his testimony