User:Jaykul72/Influence of Islamic Mahr on India

Evidence of dowry practice can be found in princely clan among both Hindus and Muslims, sister of Adil Shah of Bijapur was married to Nizam Shah of Ahmednagar, the town of Sholapur was to be given as dowry to his sister by Adil Shah. However, Adil Shah refused to part with Sholapur after marriage and war broke out between them. Ayyangar mentions that Gajapati the King of Kalinga, out of praise for the magnanimity of Krishnadevaraya performed marriage of his daughter and returned villages captured by Krishnadevaraya as dowry. Practice of dowry among citizens appear in 14th century as can be evidenced in the several stone inscriptions found in Vijayanagara empire. Several incidents recorded in these inscriptions show that there was a practice of bride price during marriage. Islamic influence brought in the practice of Mahr into South India. To fight the epidemic of bride price, in 15th century a community group of Brahmins created a social legislation to adopt the marriage system of kanyadana where is it mandated that no money should be paid or received during marriage and those who do not follow are liable for punishment by the King. There is also an inscription about dowry (Streedhana) that the villagers should not give land as dowry. The above inscriptions reinforce that system of social legislations within community groups was widely in practice as against personal laws based on religious scriptures.

Ayyangar mentions that, Krishnadevaraya launched an attack on Gajapati of Kalinga and won the war, he never destroyed the capital of Kalinga or captured the family, instead he returned them with magnanimity.