'Her Father's Hard-Earned Money, Can't Accept': UP Groom Refuses Rs 31 Lakh Dowry, Wins Hearts

While taking dowry is illegal, there are still many parts of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh where the practice continues quietly. In one such setting in Muzaffarnagar, a young groom’s decision has drawn admiration across the district.

During a wedding ceremony earlier this week, 26-year-old Awadhesh Rana refused a dowry of Rs 31 lakh offered by the bride’s family. Instead, he accepted only Rs 1 as shagun.

The bride’s relatives had arranged the money neatly on a ceremonial plate for the tilak ritual, but Awadhesh stepped forward, bowed before it, and returned the amount, according to a report by the Times Of India.

“I have no right to take this. This is the bride’s father’s hard-earned money. I cannot accept it,” he told those present. For a moment, the crowd

was taken by surprise before breaking into applause.

Awadhesh’s parents supported his decision immediately, and the bride’s family was moved by the gesture. With the tension eased, the rest of the ceremony continued smoothly. Rituals such as the ‘jaimala’ and ‘kanyadaan’ were performed in a warm and dignified atmosphere. The bride, 24-year-old Aditi Singh, later left for her new home with smiles and overwhelming support from the villagers, who praised the groom for setting an example.

Locals say the incident has become a talking point across the area. Many described it as a rare but powerful stand against dowry. Awadhesh’s act, they said, delivered a clear message that the practice has no place in modern marriages. One villager noted that the wedding is now seen as “a widely celebrated example of rejecting harmful social customs.”

Speaking to TOI on Thursday, Awadhesh, who runs a cosmetics business in Nagwa village, reiterated his belief.

“During our wedding on November 22, my wife Aditi Singh’s family was giving Rs 31 lakh as dowry, but we returned it because we are against the dowry system,” he said.

Aditi’s mother, Seema Devi, originally from Rankhandi in Saharanpur, lost her husband Sunil Singh during the Covid pandemic. Since then, Aditi and her younger brother Anubhav have been living with their maternal grandfather, Sukhpal Singh, in Shahabuddinpur village. Aditi completed her MSc before her marriage was arranged with Awadhesh.