There was a time in India not so long ago when joint family existed. Each family consisted of the patriarch, usually a grand father and grand mother, then you had the parents, uncles, aunties, cousins and kids all living happily under one roof.
Every house was modest if not palatial and there was space for everyone. Children including cousins played , had food and slept together. Although every family had their own private space; every one right from the new born to the grand parent enjoyed each other's company. Home was a place to share happiness and sorrow. No one felt alone or was considered an outcast. Each family member cared for the sick, bed ridden. If any earning member was going thru a financial crisis other members chipped in and provided all possible help.
The house was the ancestral property and was the most cherished of all things they owned. Every earning member contributed to the upkeep of the house and also the members who lived in it. This joint family system prospered because all earning members either worked in their own family farm or business in the same village or locality. Soon dependence on agriculture or family business became difficult due to increasing labor cost and input cost. Profits from agriculture and family business became difficult to sustain. There was friction among family members, relationships soon deteriorated as financial conditions of the joint family system got affected. Each family within the joint family system wanted to part ways due to better livelihood and good education for kids in cities far away from their ancestral village. The older members stayed back taking care of their family business or tilling their farm. The members who left for greener pasture do kept contact with their family members in their village thru letters and phone calls.
Industrialisation has also played a great role in disintegration of joint family system. Industries create jobs which are more stable and the earning potential of an individual also increased as per his or her qualification. The drawback being loss of bonding, love, togetherness, sharing which no longer seem to exist. Parents are too busy with their career and children left to fend for themselves. Their emotional needs are never fulfilled as they do not have anyone to talk to at home other than watching TV , video games or mobile phones.
Grand parents who do not have any ancestral property are left at old age homes by their own children who find it impossible to keep them at home in their sky rise fancy apartments and villas.
Wish the trend changes and the joint family system start to thrive again. We may call it community living where friends and neighbors in a society meet on a daily basis in the evening after office hours. All sit together , mingle, share the happenings of the day, seek help and unwind. Last but not the least let grand parents be part of this larger family and make life much more enjoyable to all .
