Kanyadan

(“gift of a virgin”) In its most specific
sense, the kanyadan is the part of the
traditional wedding ceremony in which
the bride’s father (or guardian) formally
transfers her to her husband’s family. In
a more general sense, the word refers to
giving a daughter in marriage to another
family. This “gift” is believed to be highly
commendable for the father, since the
bride is supposed to be given without
347
Kanyadan
asking for anything in return. At the
same time, the status difference
between the bride’s family (as wife
“givers”) and the groom’s (as wife “takers”) can make this “gift” an extremely
expensive proposition for the bride’s
family. See Dowry.