, ▁some ▁sch ol ars ▁argue ▁that ▁the ▁dow ry ▁practice ▁came ▁out ▁of ▁British ▁rule ▁and ▁influence ▁in ▁India ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁distinguish ▁" d ifferent ▁forms ▁of ▁marriage " ▁between ▁cast es . ▁When ▁the ▁dow ry ▁system ▁was ▁established ▁within ▁the ▁higher ▁cast es , ▁the ▁British ▁government ▁sought ▁to ▁rein force ▁it ▁in ▁the ▁lower ▁cast es ▁as ▁a ▁means ▁to ▁er ad icate ▁their ▁more ▁rit ual ised ▁mar ri ages . ▁Such ▁forms ▁of ▁union ▁were ▁dis cred ited ▁until ▁only ▁upper ▁cas te ▁marriage ▁systems ▁were ▁recogn ised . ▁ ▁In ▁South ▁Asia ▁ ▁In ▁India ▁ ▁Dr . ▁Ash ley ▁K . ▁J ut la , ▁MD ▁and ▁David ▁He im bach ▁describe ▁b ride ▁burning ▁by ▁saying ▁that ▁" the ▁husband ▁and / or ▁in - la ws ▁have ▁determined ▁that ▁the ▁dow ry , ▁a ▁gift ▁given ▁from ▁the ▁daughter ' s ▁parents ▁to ▁the ▁husband , ▁was ▁in ade qu ate ▁and ▁therefore ▁attempt ▁to ▁murder ▁the ▁new ▁b ride ▁to ▁make ▁the ▁husband ▁available ▁to ▁rem ar ry ▁or ▁to ▁pun ish ▁the ▁b ride ▁and ▁her ▁family ." ▁In ▁India , ▁dow ry ▁size ▁is ▁a ▁reflection ▁of ▁wealth . ▁The ▁Indian ▁author ▁Raj esh ▁Tal war ▁has ▁written ▁a ▁play ▁on ▁dow ry ▁death s ▁titled ▁' The ▁B ride ▁Who ▁Would ▁Not ▁Burn .' ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 1 , ▁the ▁government ▁of ▁India ▁passed ▁the ▁Dow ry ▁Pro hib ition ▁Act , ▁making ▁the ▁dow