About This Project
Built to
Expose an Absurdity.
dowry.lol is a satirical public-awareness project. One point, one purpose: dowry is illegal in India, and every number this calculator produces is a criminal figure.
Why This Exists
Parliament banned dowry in 1961. That was over sixty years ago. And yet families still negotiate it openly, calling it "gifts," framing it as custom, getting indignant when you call it what it is: extortion.
We built a calculator. It prices a person by their degree, their salary, their job title, and where their family is from. That sounds insane. It should. Because that's what actually happens.
What This Site Is Not
Not a real calculator. The numbers are made up. We don't collect your data, run ads, or have any interest in what someone might demand from you. Zero is the only number that matters legally.
This is also not legal advice. If you're in a situation where this stopped being funny, call 181 (Women's Helpline) or see our guide on reporting.
Who Made This
dowry.lol is an independent project. No government backing, no NGO funding, no political affiliation. Just people who are tired of a law that exists on paper and gets ignored in practice.
What the Law Actually Says
Giving or taking dowry: minimum 5 years in prison. Just demanding it: up to 2 years. Dowry-related cruelty (BNS §85): up to 3 years. Dowry death (BNS §80): 7 years to life.
The law has been clear for over six decades. The gap is enforcement and the social norms that keep treating a criminal transaction as tradition. This site exists because that gap needs to be smaller.
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