Patna, April 17: The father of the bride has a new thing to worry about this marriage season — the inverter.

Most of you may have heard of cars, TVs, refrigerators and jewellery being demanded as dowry. But now, thanks to frequent power cuts in the city, the grooms and their families have started demanding inverters. The terror of power cuts is such that those demanding dowry are ready to forego other things to get an inverter.

The families of the brides are buying inverters by the dozen to gift to the grooms. The models most in demand are the ones that have a 10-hour back-up.

Owners of electronic shops are laughing all the way to their banks because of a sudden spurt in the sale of inverters.

“This is the first time that I have heard that a groom does not want a motorbike or a washing machine. But he asked for an inverter with a 10-hour back-up,” said Mangal Prasad, whose daughter is getting married next week.

In an electronic shop on Exhibition Road to buy the exorcist of power cuts, Prasad said: “My daughter’s in-laws live in the Rajabazaar area and the power situation there is pathetic. Everyday there is no power for nearly five to seven hours. I bought an inverter for Rs 23,000. But I don’t think the demand made by the groom’s family is unreasonable. At least my daughter will not have to suffer power cuts in her husband’s home,” said Prasad.

He, like many others, believes that until the power situation in the state improves, inverter is the only solution.

“This is the only alternative. I don’t mind gifting this to my son-in-law. Thank God, he did not ask for a generator,” said Prasad.

Triloki Nath, another father of a bride, was also looking for various models of inverters in showrooms on Boring Canal Road to gift to his daughter’s in-laws.

His prospective son-in-law Prem Kumar said: “The power situation in the state is pathe tic. An inverter is a necessity now. So I asked my father-in-law to gift me an inverter.”

He added: “It will be good for both my wife and me. What good is a TV or washing machine if there is no power to run them?”

Rajesh Kumar, owner of a showroom on Frazer Road, said: “Every year there is a 10 per cent increase in the sale of inverters. Last year I sold around 1,500 inverters. This is a new trend. The bride’s family gifts inverters to the groom’s family these days.”