Property Ownership In A Marriage example essay topic

Throughout history, there have been many different aspects that have been looked at in all culture ways. Many researcher's have studied the history and the lifestyle of the different societies and particular cultural norms. This information is gathered from media, weather be it through internet, newspaper, television or simply history books as educational informers. Although these are the most common bases for societal general knowledge, in the inner truth occurs within the inner realms of particular societal.

We as Americans sometimes fund the ways in which many of these cultures do things different, weird, or crazy. They are for us to look forage deeper into these different aspects but sometimes many of us choose to just believe the contrary, the truth that is tainted and not rooted within history. One of these mistakenly misconceived cultures is the Hindu Culture. Americans may not see things in our culture the way others do in their own private communities. In our society, women are beginning to get respect for the things they do and they are being looked at in the same way that men are, in various occupations. In the Hindu culture this is quiet the opposite, their society views women the same way a any other society would view those in the lower social aspects.

This suppressing and infer orating view has had a large impact on their society, economically, as well as politically. The women in this culture are looked upon as being something great, according to their cultural and religious believes. This aspect of Hindu society is the only that has had credit to the respect and value of women, where if compared to the status of women in other societies. Though the women are vied very highly by the gods, they are viewed from a society with a caste system. India like any other society is divided into different classes. The classes are division is marked by wealth and production industries.

The adjoining part of the society is ruled by higher authority. Women are a large of this particular society. They are subjected to agricultural and exploitation by the men who rule them. The women in these particular communities have many duties that come with being a part of that society". The chief duty of a women is to maintain her Pati vrata Dharma. To a women there is no higher duty than service of her husband.

She should worship him daily" (Shivanada, 1963). Women, who goes by these customs are honored by their communities. Their expectations in life are to honor and please their spouses and to make their significant other the most important persons. This does not usually reflect on the husbands correspondence, or his status.

Domestic problems are not always judged by fault or negative conduct. There is no crime in a man abusing his wife. Women do not engage in therapeutic dialogues with their spouses to solve domestic issues neither are they allowed reaching beyond the household and including family members and friends. This type is always of emotional out reach would be considered non-devotion to ones husband. This is always a tormenting experience especially to those with infidelity. Marriage clearly is separated from its fundamental pillars of love and mutual respect.

The Hindus believe that marriage can only sustain its existence if love if outlawed, "This difficult but gradually she will gain strength of mind and power of endurance through the grace of the Lord". (Shivanada, 1962). A woman is expected to constantly think of the benefits of being married not the negatives that may be occurring within the home. The value of marriage is adjusted to fit that of a manly agreement. Men become the middle man in the class initiation process, upon marriage they decide to what class their respective wives are to belong to, and the responsibilities she would be exposed to.

Women in the Hindu culture are not allowed to own or sell any property. Even in the case of a deceased spouse. They are not entitled to any inheritance nor are possessions of any items left after death. Women are stripped of all property rights, (base, 1999). This is nothing new to many people in different countries, as well as cultures.

One would think that for a woman to be so respected by the gods, her rights and responsibilities would sour way above service to her husband. To obtain more accurate pricing of the rural and urban areas India calculates property ownership and wealth according to the numbers of settlement of middle class people. These are the people that accrue their income from inheritance. Even though the women live with their husbands, they do not hold any value with property's meaning that they do not handle any of the property business, nor do they got part ownership. Women in there particular societies, are considered to be property themselves, so for them to own property or to even share property ownership with their husband would seem ludicrous to the men in these economies. Women become property as soon they married, this is because of dowry.

Dowry becomes a big part of the marriage arrangement, as it is the bridal head count of currency or livestock. Because the groom has to pay a certain amount to get the brides hand in marriage, dowry represents ownership and property. Women used as property ownership in a marriage, have no authority over the marriage or what or what arrangements are made, or even who they marry, (Eames, 1996). Even though women may not have much to do with a marriage or even property, they are merging into politics in their respective areas. In the urbanized areas of the country there are middle class women who work, and provide for them selves. This gives good insight to the nation that women can not handle work and lead independent lives.

Some communities are more liberal, and do not present women with this opportunity, but there are those that do. Even though this would seem like a ray of hope for the Hindu women, there are still those in rural areas that suffer social and economics oppression. These middle class women that have no experienced the social block that the other women have are making many efforts to help these women to break free or stay from this particular lifestyle. These women are holding parades, as well as anti- Hindu practices, in hopes of exposing there other women to the world and all the things it can offer.

The voice that have been heard as well as made contributions to the social change are those of women like Prime Minister Indira Ghandhi, the strength of this woman is beyond reasonable doubt. In the 1970's Ghandhi began to devise some significant measures, she resorted to strong measures in maintaining her power. Proclamation of Emergency, centralization of the polity and firm establishment of her personal leadership over the congress, she also transformed the democratic and federal character of the polity of Nehru period into a centralized authoritarian system, (Mohanty 2004). In divorce cases or separation, the husband is entitled to the land; women now actually want control of the turf that they call home. As they result to the Hindu succession act of 1956, "Equity by gender in property laws lies within a very narrow compass. Under the succession act, Hindu women are theoretically acquired equal rights to the "self acquired" property.

This act gave Hindu widows absolute rights over a final property; they had received in lieu that is the power to sell of gift property" (Basu 1999). The women in this country, like any other women want to have ownership of many different things. The ability to actually own something and not be subject to criticism for it would be a great accomplishment for the Hindu women. Hindu women are actively trying to have everything in their power. They are breaking away from the communal conception of a "woman". These types of social inclinations are referred to as Sanskrit zation (Srinivas, 1966).

This is the process by which a low Hindu caste. Or tribal or other group, changes its customs, ritual, ideology, and way of life in the direction of a high, frequently, "twice-born" caste. This is an ideal advantage to the women because obtain a higher standing in the community in which they dwell in. The power of their voice primarily depends on those who hear them or even if they are heard.

The Hindu women in turn have decided to take things a step further. They are now beginning to get involved with politics. This will begin to open up new doors for them; the only concern is if they will be taken seriously. Swept along with the momentous uproar of political struggle in India, women made sure their voices were heard. These voices went so far as to get the 73rd amendment, into the Indian constitution in 1993. Out of the Indian constitution women only get 1/3rd of the restorations in the three pillars of ownership within a marriage (Mohanty, 2004).

The only thing that these women have now is that their chastity is considered to be of political value (Sarkar 2001). Virgins are valued more as dowry is considered for marriage; this is because of the women's purity. Publicity isnt a very hard thing for these women to attain either. They have been able to get the word out about the changes through many different sources. Gul shan Ewing, a woman magazine editor in India like many in the other parts of the country where Hinduism is practiced and women are inferior began with the publication of women's magazines.

The magazines are filled with articles concerning the women's health, entertainment, and voice on various cultural subjects in marriage (Na paul, 1991). The capabilities of there women is phenomenal, because of discipline and determination, these women influence every issue they tackle. The opportunities that have been given to these women are just the first steps that they are taking to get the word out that they too have ideas, and that they can live independently. They just want to be able to free themselves from the ownership bonds of their husbands. All identities and laws of women not created by them, or coming from them, come from the men of the community (Sarkar 2001). They are restricted to being entirely socialized and restricted to their family-kin community.

Tremendous effort has been to ignite, for they have come a long way from the beginning, hoping to see a fair end. As an American women in a westernized culture, one sometime takes the freedom given for granted, not realizing that there are women out there that have to fight for things that they want in life. True, we do choose to go out and get an education, but we should sometimes stop and think what things would be like if we were not able to even try to get an education. Education is given abundantly, there is equal opportunities in exchange for self enhancement, to think that all these rights can be taken away, not only paints a painful life but gives one a glimpse into the lives of the Hind women who had to endure such mistreatment's. The Hindu women have lived under the incubation of powerful men, who have no regard to their equality nor their intelligence and capability.

These women have not just fulfilled a dream but have economically, politically, and socially, broken the barrier as well as the stereotype that they may no amount to anything. They have taken that initiative, and made it into something great.