The notion of family is an important feature in Indian society.It is considered as an institution by itself. It is believed that family is a collective cultural symbol of the country since ancient times.
As per the opinion of the sociologist there are no families when hunters and gatherers kept moving on.When they slightly stable and attached to the land and procurement of production then the concept of the family started . When a man worked hard and really wanted to give his earnings to his progeny then man control on women, do decision on every matter then family started.They tried to control all the earnings as well as the land also within his near ones then started the requirement of extended family or joint family.. Gradually joint families build strong circles. Attachment to land that passes from generation to generation then there grows the common decision place. With the coming of industrialization family act as a unit of production and consumption. Gradually, people moved to factories to work and the urbanization starts and the whole scenario change.Then there came economic changes and political changes and social changes.An individual is becoming more important than the family. Subsequently, there have been changing the legal system. Women need legal rights. They wish to acquire property from her father and husband.. All this point clearly shows that the joint family did not support the other institution of society.
Finally, nuclear families in urban areas increases. It is believed that with the advent of the 21st century the rapid increase of urbanization , the socio-economic changes effects the features of social system of family.For better education and career orientation , extended family and joint family gradually dis-integrated. Smaller family units comprising of husband, wife and their children grow simultaneously. According to the 2001 census, 9.98 crores out of 19.31 crore households are nuclear. In the 2011 census12. 97 crores out of 24.88 house holds are nuclear families in urban areas.
With the growth of nuclear family in urban areas so many difficulties are increased for couples.They exclude from the extended family. They do not learn conflict resolution skills. So, with less tolerance situation like divorce cases are increasing among couples.. A small support system is there. Compounding stereo types are the day to day affair for them. Their view is always self centered. Individual responsibilities increase. The value system is losing at nuclear families.The women's participation in the work place is larger in the nuclear family. But , the most advantages of nuclear families are they face fewer quarrels compared to joint families. A nuclear family has based parental love and sibling connection.
However on the other side, a joint family builds strong circles. The situations at joint families are economically beneficial.Elders take care of children. In the absence of parents, children are not feeling lonely.That creates an emotional bond between two generations. The joint family acts as a social insurance.The togetherness of many members of a family creates an imbibing family value. The cradle of social virtues is there that shared support system, division of labor, financial security, socialism in wealth . With the coming of privatization of working place in the employment sector, both parents leave their children with their care taker or creche. They indirectly suffer. So , gradually the couples need support from their family. The research report which clearly states the status of the Indian Family.The Indian Joint Family is storied phenomenon. It is mostly still going strong despite the common trend of urbanization and nuclear families.
HAPPY INTERNATIONAL DAY OF FAMILIES.
Sapna Acharya
Travel Writer
Dt-15. 5.2020
The tribal community of South Odisha of the Koraput region is very distinct primitive tribes who live in natural forest ambience. They have been preserving the ancestral heritage of their community. Around 62 varieties of the community are living in different locations of South Odisha.But, their amazing lifestyle creates an illusion in this modern time.
Mostly illiterate and speak their typical native languages, the people of that tribe do not have mobility. They are depending on agriculture and forest collection. These are all their principal sources of livelihood of the tribes. They extensively practice shifting cultivation and they cultivate a mixed variety of millet, pulses and Niger . Being mostly agriculturist, they synchronize their cultural practices. The female members of this tribal group are very fond of ornaments such as bead necklaces, armlets, bangles earnings and nose rings.
Tribal women in general in a society would not appear to be making any sort of complaint about their husbands. Mostly , they remain shy and silent.Perhaps, women have not experienced any domination and harassment by male folk and husbands or they could not visualize such situations in their wildest imaginations. Literacy almost nil among tribal communities. But, these days the government is giving a lot of opportunities to make them educated. They prefer early marriage. The main intentions of getting married at an early time are to give basic training about house hold work as most of the seniors are busy with farming work so they need someone to look after the cooking.
The most peculiar system of their marriage is very distinct in nature. A women of the age group 16 to 20 years marries a male of the age group 12 to 14 years. This is how relatively mature women exercise control over them later. Usually, older girls prefer to marry boys younger than them so that the later would earn for them when the former grew old.
Among all tribes both male and female members are economically self dependent. Both of them go for work to earn for their family. Therefore. male members domination over women folk for their dependence is not found as both enjoy approximately economic equality here.No discrimination is known to be made on the grounds of sex. No preferences are attached to either of the sexes.
Unlike the dowry system prevailed in the main stream culture in India, tribal bodies are given valuable at the time of the marriage ceremony.Thus , the brides become distinct beneficiaries.
The tribal women have a stable , tolerant, gender non -discriminatory and humane society. They follow and practice the principles of feminism spontaneously. This has been possible in these tribal communities due to the equality on economic terms. Tribal society is a very primitive life style and attitude. It remains far away from the development achieved by the modern world. Despite their back ground, they are found to be much ahead of the non- hill people.They are natural feminists. In that sense, they are really modern though they might appear primitive.
Sapna Acharya
Travel Writer
Dt-4. 5.2020
Delhi
