INDIA’S FIRST DOWRY FREE VILLAGE NILAMBUR IN KERELA, WITH A SIGN BOARD

Dowry Free Zone Sign Board

Nilampur, a village in Kerela, which is popularly Known as Dowry Free Village is one of those that can actually be called “Developed” as this village is the India’s first No dowry area.

Nilampur is especially famous for its “Dowry Free Area” signboard. However, Making Nilambur a dowry free village was never been child’s play. It was a very difficult task for all the people there, but with their determination, they made it. Many people feel that our country India is developing and in some peoples eyes it is already a developed country, but ask your heart! Is it really? Many families expect that their daughter in law would bring a big car with her, expensive gifts for all relatives and some diamonds and gold. Is this really developed India?

Nilambur people can proudly say that they are in the dowry free zone. It was a very difficult task to make Nilambur dowry free, but it is rightly said, “Where there is a will, there is a way.”

From a survey done in 2007, it was found that many people are homeless because they sold off their land for their daughter’s weddings.

Panchayat president, “Aryadan Shoukath”, calculated that the average amount of dowry for a single wedding was 3-4 lacks. Thousands of the girls remained unmarried because their family could not afford the demands from other sides.

Mr. Shoukath says, “These boys accept dowry in order to bail out their beleaguered parents. So in effect, it’s become a vicious circle. ”

In 2009, people of Nilambur took a pledge to make their place dowry free. They started several projects and programs. Young people and women joined the campaign with great enthusiasm. Door-to-door camp held and street plays were also held to encourage and motivate people. An association named “DUMP DOWRY” was set up during the campaign.

They also launched a website “www.dowryfreemarriage.com”. On this website anyone can register themselves for free of cost and can make his/her social profile. A girl ‘Sajidha’ and her mother like many were victims of child marriage and heavy dowry. The victims took a pledge that they won’t let any other suffer.

They won’t let voices be silent anymore. When Sajidha came to know about a 16 year old girl being married in her locality she rushed to pandal and stopped the marriage and kicked off this big initiative, which soon turned this village into an absolute example of “Determination”. Since then “SAY NO TO DOWRY ” has become a catchphrase of Nilambur.

The village entrance has a board put up with a message “DOWRY FREE ZONE”. Over 1635 people have registered themselves on that website. Many other social programs such as ‘Surakshita’ and ‘Sameeksha’ has also been launched in the village.

It’s time that people should understand that these beliefs and superstitions only putting mud spots to this country.

A man is giving you his most beloved and precious thing yet you are asking for more. What the hell is wrong with you? I’ve seen people asking for BMW cars and other luxury things just because they’re rich. Look at the fact here, the rich is wanting money. Maybe that’s why the poor of this country getting poorer and rich getting richer.

A small town in a big country has told how to tackle such big social problems. The big country India must learn from this. Thanks to social organizations and rising youth, India is now on a fast lane to become same as this dowry free village and even better.