________________
social pressure to participate in dowry. In contrast, in the lower groups dowry is viewed as an important source of income for the family and represents potential for upward
economic mobility. In the upper income group, dowry is often viewed as an opportunity
to compete for status through a display of wealth.
Table 4. Household Income and Participation in Dowry
Household
Income
Yes
No
Yes Before Becoming Anuvrati
Not Relevant to
My Sitution
Missing
M
Total
1
20,000 or
31
45
Less
30.4%
37.5%
12%
100%
25.4%
25.8%
20 16.7%
O
27
13.10%
0%
15.3%
18
22
20,00135,000 35,00150,000 50,00175,000
0%
15%
12%
12.4%
11 6.2%
0%
5.8%
16%
21
33
75,000+ Rather Not
26.1%
17.5%
18.6%
39
Say
30.4%
28%
22%
19.2%
120 100%
Total
25 100%
177 100%
100%
100%
Bribery
Many respondents had expressed their frustration and stated that corruption is
prevalent at all levels of social, economic and political life. For example, one has to bribe
the officers to get a passport or ration card, to get a loan approved, to reduce taxes, and in
almost any official interaction from hospitals to school admissions to permits for driving.
However, I came across a few people, both Anuvrati and non-Anuvrati, who persevered
through several obstacles and were delayed in getting their work done, but never paid
bribes. Nevertheless, such examples were rare. The bribery question asked: "How many
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