Show HN: I built a satirical Dowry Calculator to highlight a harmful tradition
2 points
18 hours ago
| 1 comment
| dahejcalc.in
| HN
Hi HN,

I've created a simple, non-commercial web tool called the Dahej (Dowry) Calculator.

Growing up hearing stories within my community about the immense pressure and financial ruin caused by the dowry system in India, I wanted to find a way to talk about this difficult topic. Direct confrontation often shuts down dialogue, so I chose satire as a way to approach it.

The calculator is intentionally absurd; it generates a monetary 'worth' based on real-world (and often ugly) factors like profession, salary, and even caste. The goal isn't to be accurate, but to be a conversation starter. It's an educational tool designed to hold up a mirror to a practice that treats marriage like a transaction.

There are no ads, trackers, or sign-up requirements. It's just a simple page built with React.

I'm here to answer any questions and would love to hear your feedback on using satire and technology for social commentary.

Thanks for checking it out.

LarsAlereon
18 hours ago
[-]
As a man who is not from India, could you please provide some cultural context on this number? Is this the price that would be expected to be paid to the family of a woman who matched these specifications in order to get married?
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wredcoll
17 hours ago
[-]
Dowry is what the bride brings to her husband.

The idea here, presumably, is that higher status males demand larger payments for "taking a wife".

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