Youngsters in Karnataka aim to sweep off dowry via WhatsApp 

A group of eight youngsters from Mangaluru have moved beyond discussions on the social challenges they face in India.
WhatsApp Final Image for Representational Purposes.
WhatsApp Final Image for Representational Purposes.

MANGALURU: A group of eight youngsters from Mangaluru have moved beyond discussions on the social challenges they face in India. They’re taking action to bring about a positive change. And with the help of social media, they have launched a crusade against dowry.

A WhatsApp group started by these internet friends who are all yet to meet has created a sort of social revolution in Dakshina Kannada district. Deeply perturbed over increasing number of suicides and women above 30 years of age remaining unmarried in a particular community, Nizaam Valachil, Ilyas Mangaluru, Nuruddin Avinahalli, Zaheer Shantinagar, Musthafa Shiruru, Muzammil Nuhi Addoru, K M Jaleel Kundapura and Rehaman Byndooru created a discussion group in February 2017 for discussing social issues. A month later, they created a WhatsApp group ‘Dowry Free Nikah’. And till date, the group has brought together 75 couples without any broker’s involvement or dowry exchange.

Those singles looking for a suitable match send their details to the group administrators. After their details are verified and they agree to follow the rules set by administrators, candidates are accepted as members of ‘Dowry Free Nikah’ group. Details of brides and grooms, including their age, qualification and height, and phone numbers of parents and family members are subsequently shared with members of the WhatsApp group for the matchmaking purpose.Unlike other matrimonial sites, the group does not ask for the skin colour, which is unimaginable in an arranged marriage set-up. Any message against any particular caste or group also does not find space on this group.

The youngsters’ group had tasted the first success within three months of its formation when a couple got hitched without money changing hands. And the journey continues.

“We haven’t yet met together as a team, but we are united by a purpose. We strive to ensure that no family in our community suffers due to the evil dowry practice. Most of our team members are writers and we all got connected on a different social media group after a poverty-stricken family committed suicide in our village. Over a period of time, we formed a group of our own to discuss the issues plaguing the region, and ultimately ‘Dowry Free Nikah’ group was formed,” says creator Zaheer Shantinagar.

“Bsesides dowry, if a  broker is involved in the matchmaking, the bride’s family has to shell out extra Rs 40,000,” he adds.

Initially the ‘Dowry Free Nikah’ group was restricted to Dakshina Kannada, but over a period of time it got members from across Karnataka. As of now, the group has extended to five sub-groups to accommodate more than 1,000 members. They are all champions of dowry-free marriage.
“The increasing number of people joining the group hints at a positive social change,” says administrator of one of the five groups Riyaz Farangipet. He is confident that what started as a social media initiative will soon penetrate the social fabric.

“The anti-dowry programme is being taken to all jamats. There is no Shia-Sunni division either,” says Zaheer.

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The New Indian Express
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