During erstwhile times, lifestyle and probity weighed more than money when it came to marriage. However, those halcyon days of marriage are withering away from Kerala. Tragedies are recurring in the state with bride suicides turning into a new normal. According to the youngsters of today’s age, life is simply loathsome without a home, a luxurious car and an opulent lifestyle.

"All people need is money, and money is the greatest of all” This was Dr Shahna’s suicide note. With emerging reports, it is evident that the failure to meet the groom’s demand of a high dowry killed the marriage. In her last note, Shahna makes it lucid about how money has eclipsed the noble feeling of love.

Albeit being a crime, many within our society are continuing the practice of dowry with impunity. Even people vocal on the matter may someday give tacit approval for dowry, as it has been imbibed with our lifestyle. However, it is harsh to simply put every marriage in bad light as dignity is still followed rigorously in many such marriages across the state. But come to 2023, there are stories in copious about marriages going helter-skelter simply for the villain that is dowry.

There are some sections of people, who will be vociferous lamenting the practice of dowry, but in a tragic fall, will bow down before their parents when it comes to their marriage. The Dowry system has been inculcated into every Keralite for aeons. It is viewed as part of the custom and no amount of protest was able to eradicate this archaic custom from our land. This is simply the tragedy of reducing the ideals and revolutions to just words.

Shahna was excellent at studies but had a fragile heart. Even small taunts from people pained her badly. However, for the greed of the groom’s family, Shahna had to compromise her life. She is no more with us. Sometimes next week, on this same day, some other news will be discussed and Shahna’s loss will remain a bereavement only for her close family members.

It is an acute time for girls to deny any marriage proposal that demands a dowry. Boys should also follow suit. Youth organizations working within our society too have a role to play. On another note, Gold price is breaking the roof now and it will be a headache for parents to find ways to conduct the marriage of their daughters in all grandeur. People should be reminded of just one thing; marriage is an auspicious act, not a show-off.