Dowry
Money or goods given by the bride's family to the groom or his family at marriage, illegal in many places where it causes harm.
Also: dahej, jahez, trousseau gifts
A dowry is property given by the bride's family to the couple or the groom's family at a marriage. It has been known in Europe, South Asia, the Middle East and elsewhere, and in some communities is still paid. In India, giving or taking dowry is illegal under the Dowry Prohibition Act of 1961, and dowry-related harassment and deaths are an acknowledged problem, as in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal. Dowry differs from bride price, which flows the other way, and from the bride's own gifts, such as a trousseau or the Islamic mahr, which belongs to the bride. Some families give the daughter her share as an inheritance.