Joint Family System

 

     We see a family to be a group of people living together in a same household, but it is something beyond that Joint family system is a prominent feature of Indian Culture. Joint family is where many generations live together, they share love, respect, values, religion income, responsibility, property and trust in common. In a joint family members live together, eat together, worship together, celebrate together and stand together.

     Early humans migrated from one place to another in search of food, they were Hunter gatherers. Later they settled, on developing the system of agriculture. This developed into societies. The group of people sharing blood relations lived together and came to be called a family. They all cultivated together on the same land and share the produce among themselves, they ate together. This was how the joint family system came to origin. Joint family system forms the base of Indian society it consists of members bounded with some relations. The family is headed by a senior person called 'karta'.

      In a joint family income flows in a single pool and all expenses are paid by the common income of its members. On various issues united discussions and decisions are taken, but the final decision rests in the hands of a head of family. In Indian society usually most joint families are headed by a man but in South India many female head families also exist. There exists a system to obey your elders which lead to practices like arranged marriages and help in maintaining a discipline in the family. The role of a women was limited to household chores, so it didn't provide them time to look after themselves and had to leave under the dominance of elder. This family system led to the practices of functions and festivals and family gathering.

     In a joint family one learns values like corporation, sharing, responsibility, respect tolerance, obedience. A house is not a home. What makes a house turn into home are the people living into it, their affection, respect, bond, care and faith for each other. Joint family consists of great-grandparents, grandparents, parents, maternal family, paternal family and their children. A joint family is supportive, cooperative, protective and full of responsibility, respect, affection, values and joy. It provides physical, mental financial and social support to individual.

     However, the joint families are getting disintegrated today. As people are getting educated they are becoming independent, this Independent mind-set make them resistance to any bonds of relationships and make the family system disintegrated, nuclear. As we get more exposure to technology over social media there has been a communication gap between family members. Since many entertainment platforms are available, their is lesser time to spend with family. In urban areas lack of space, increased expenses made family turn into nuclear. Also there is a huge impact of western culture on Indian joint family system. Thus, factors like industrialization, urbanization, education, financial independence of women, impact of western culture, need for privacy, technological exposure have resulted in fading away the joint family system.

    Mine being a joint family, I really feel blessed to have such a family where everyone share sorrows and happiness. Joint family teaches one how to behave in society and how to respect elders. It helps develop one's personality and yields into a responsible citizen. In the world today, when parents have no time for children many teenagers who are unable to tackle with and share their thoughts are getting depressed. There is an increase in suicide which is really very bad. Friends are replacing the family.

    In the conditions of lockdown, there has been a great amount of re-migration, the need for a family support was deeply felt by everyone.

    The tools of Technology have also help in bringing families together and keeping them connected, over social media, over calls and video conferencing. In Modern Times there also exists a system of distant joint family where the family members live away from for job, education but are connected together. Even in this busy world we should take out some time for our families and should connect together.

    The Joint Family System which is vanishing is actually a need of today.