by V. Kumar

Created on: April 19, 2008

Indian society can be described as an interwoven network of communities, each of which consist of many extended families, joined with each other through bonds of marriage, local neighborhood and common cultural heritage. Hence it should come as no surprise that the dynamics of extended family defines much of its social and moral values and differentiates it from the industrialized world. It can be said that without understanding the 'Indian joint family', it may not be possible to fully appreciate India's culture and society.

Traditionally, in most societies, family means a couple and their children. Not so in India, where family is a continuum that grows on and on. It includes parents, grand-parents, children and grand-children, across several generations. There could be several siblings with their own 'sub-families' living together as one joint unit. Thus in one extended or joint family, there would be many uncles, aunties, nieces, nephews, cousins and so on.

India was an agrarian society where a typical rural family cultivated a piece of land and lived on the same place, sometimes for centuries. This continuity of the family and its traditions meant that same practices, religious beliefs, mythology, language and culture were carried on for centuries together without any major changes. In fact, carrying on the age-old traditions of the family was a matter of immense pride and satisfaction, and the primary force behind the survival and continuity of Indian culture and tradition.

The Indian family is usually patriarchal. The eldest male is considered the head of the family, and is supposed to be the custodian of all its members and wealth. However, it does not mean that he can be a dictator, as he needs to take the family members along. All major decisions in the family are usually taken by the elders of the family, and the female members can have an equally strong say depending upon their influence on the male members. The sons continue to remain a part of the family even after marriage, while the daughters have to go and live in the family of their spouse. Hence, the sons are considered propagators of the family, while the daughters are considered a kind of 'guest' or a 'responsibility' who have to be brought up with care and then gifted away in marriage to another family, where they become the ambassadors of their parent family. Hence the need for preparing and grooming the daughters for adjusting in another family.

Marriage in India is not an individual affair.

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