Who pays dowry in India?

The women pay dowry for their husbands in India and these are some of the reasons stated by some Indians.

In ancient times, people got married at a young age. Often before they started earning money. India being a relatively poor country, this meant an additional mouth to feed. Considering the patriarchal social system, the elders (males) of the house would eat first, followed by the children, and the women would eat last. You could substitute food with other things, but this was the standard pecking order.
So the girl's parents would give her money and wealth so she could manage on her own. But the patriarchy system ensured the money went to the groom's family and not directly to the bride. Something so normal was distorted into something evil and cruel as time passed, and grooms started demanding dowry. As a result, parents started giving their daughters her share of inheritance during the wedding itself.
Dowry is still prevalent in many parts of India. But it is slowly and steadily dying out as a custom. My Father married my mother 26 years ago, but he chose to take just 1 Rupee (nominal amount) as a token dowry, and turned down all the cash my poor grandfather had managed to save up.
Stated: Akshay Vannery


The family wealth was divided only among the sons and not the daughters. So the father of the bride would give a share of his property to his daughter WILLINGLY as a token of his love towards her at the time of her marriage. Here, the keywords being - "willingly" and "to the daughter" and not the son-in-law.
This share later acquired the name of "dowry system" though still prevalent it is abolished by law and has a certain stigma attached  -

- daughters have an equal right in ancestral property
- greed on the part of the in-laws leading to atrocities on women
 stated Lakshmi Ame