At one time in Ancient India, no fertile season of a woman was supposed to go waste. (When Uddanka’s gurupatni approached him, he refused saying that the order must come from the guru and not the gurupatni. This made his guru very fond of him).
At another time, women had to be won by a show of valour (Virya Sulka). (As Sita Devi, by Sri Rama breaking Siva’s bow and Draupadi by Arjuna shooting the eye of the fish in the revolving Matysa Yantra, looking at a watery reflection.)
Very often the hero had to fight off competing armies for the girl. (As Sri Krishna for Rukmini Devi and Bhishma for the Kasi Princesses). In fact many baby girls were adopted and raised and given to great kings in marriage. eg., Sita, Sakuntala, Mandodari.
At that time both polygamy and polyandry were legal and there was no talk of killing baby girls, foetuses or brides.
Enter the post British Era of India which forced monogamy as an additional ideal and law on our Indian society.
A man who may have only one wife possibly becomes very choosy and wants the prettiest and richest one he can have. He can also accept a dowry from one girl, burn her off and marry another one for another dowry., thus leading to the serial polygamy, concept accepted by western societies.
A man who does not wish to afford the heavy dowry and marriage expenses of his daughter can kill her off before he sees her baby face.
From someone who has to be fought for, wooed and won, Indian girls have become finacial liability to their fathers.
Many educated girls now earn and save for their own dowries so as to get a better (wealthier) match. The dowry for educated, working women is also lower than for their less educated sisters. Therefore, you also see more educated, working girls in India.
