Vasudeva Kutumba

India has been having a special kind of family structure not typically found in the western world -  Joint Family System.  A joint family is a collection of more than one nuclear families connected by blood relations or marital relations. There are instances of a family of almost 100 members staying together even today!

All the members live together and share happiness, grief, and virtually every kind of emotions. The joint family in itself repesents a typical view of our multi-cultural, multi-lingual, yet tightly intertwined Indian society. A harmonious joint family set-up is a boon providing a wonderful support system emotionally and financially. The joint family setup is ideal for the woman who wants to work as well as have a family. They can be assured that their children are being looked after in the same way they would have taken care of their children.

As one of our ex- president had responded   to a question related to spiritual strengths of India as “One of our strengths is our joint family system. In this system a problem is no problem. In a nuclear family a problem can destroy a family.……”

Looking more closely into the subject, one would find that there are certain duties which need to be carried out along with enjoying the benefits that a joint-family offers.  Members have to learn to adjust, to overcome their petty jealousies, to develop mutual respect across  generations, and to learn to give each other respect. Also they have to accept the fact that there would always be difference of opinion but that doesnot mean that there is no unity amongst them.

Concept of nuclear family appears to address the problems often seen in joint families, but at a very high cost of having lost the benefits of joint family system.  The core strength of the nuclear family system lies in ‘Fewer the members, lesser the problems.’

This brings us to the basic Q – which system works best for my family?  This question requires us to have a hard look at the way we interact amongst our family members though it would appear that the benefits of joint family system may outweigh the nuclear family in this present volatile world where emotional support has become crucial for the family ….