The practice of dowry in Hindu marriages is still identified as a social malady In this regard, especially in Bengal, government legislation appears to be a virtual failure There are many cases of in-laws torturing the bride, but there is no final remedy In some places, the bride has to choose the path of premature suicide.

Yet, the abolition of dowry has not happened There are exceptions in this environment For example, in 1426, several Brahmin groups in South India collectively signed an agreement to abolish the dowry system, which is really surprising.

The incident is mentioned in the pages of the first volume of the South Indian Inscriptions, edited by German scholar E Hultzsch in 1880 It describes an inscription in Tamil inscribed on the temple of the village of Birinchipuram in the North Arcot district of the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu.

The inscription suggests that several Brahmin clans in the early 15th century CE in the south Indian state of Padaiveedu (now North Arcot district) ventured to abolish the dowry system in marriage and signed a treaty of their own The treaty was signed in the year 1347, 1426, during the reign of Vijayanagara king Virapratap Devaraya.

The treaty was signed by representatives of the Kannadiga (Kannadi), Tamil (Telugo) and Ilad (Lat) classes These Brahmins were the representatives of various panchayats and hence were called "mahajanas" (local moneylenders) The Brahmin daughter was not to be married to any Brahmin nor to any bridegroom.

One thing to be noted here is that during the Hindu rule, the provisions of the Panchayat were generally followed by the rulers.

1) South Indian Inscriptions, Vol I, 1880, PP- < ID3 > : E < ID1 >) Inscriptions - References to Copper Edicts, Calcutta, 1982, pp < ID2 >: Dinesh Chandra Sarkar.