Right to Stridhan of Woman: A Comparative Study

In the past, women were not given any share of property. Instead, they were considered as property themselves. The concept of stridhan has granted women the right to own and keep their own property. The origins of stridhan can be traced back to Manu. Women had very limited rights over property from ancient times, while husbands had full authority and control over all properties, including stridhan. This article undertakes a comparative study of the legal and historical evolution of stridhan rights with a focus on judicial interpretation and statutory development. The study examines the transition from ancient scriptures to contemporary legal framework highlighting how courts have upheld Hindu women autonomy over her stridhan. This paper aims to refine the concept of stridhan, the rights of women, its types, sources, challenges faced by women in reclaiming their stridhan, accesses the adequacy of existing legal remedies and the laws and regulations governing it.