The joint family meaning goes as a group of members coming from the same ancestors or is from a unilineal descent, which chooses to stay together as an extended family without getting separated. It is usually the son who gets married and stays with his children and wife, under the same roof as his parents. The uniqueness of a joint family as one can see in India is the residence of different generations under the same roof, sharing ancestral resources and not creating separate households. Different sociologists have defined a joint family in different ways as one will look into going forward. Moreover, a joint family has certain characteristics that too will be discussed. 

Definitions of a Joint Family

According to Iravati Karve, a group of people who choose to cook food in one hearth, reside under the same roof, are related by common worship, hold common property and belong from a particular kindred form a joint family. 

Henry Maine decided to define a Hindu joint family as a group that shares common ancestors, children, and relatives related through the marriage of such children. 

As per K.M. Kapadia, a family formed of relations from the mother’s or father’s side of the married son (matrilineal or patrilineal, respectively) who reside together with each other, than just the son living with his wife and children, is a joint family.

According to K. Davis, where a family shares the same male ancestor, women have entered the family through marriage and the female offspring might or might not be married, it is a joint family as they stay together or near to each other. The essential criteria are that all these members support as well as contribute to the whole and also receive a share or benefit from such a whole/ total product.

Lastly, I.P. Desai chose to define joint family as an extended family having an increased generation depth than nuclear or individual family and whereby the relationship of such members are derived from shared property, mutual rights, and obligations as well as income. 

Joint and Nuclear Family

Joint and nuclear families are different in terms that while a joint family is a larger, extended family with more members participating in running the household, a nuclear family is a smaller unit with a married couple and their offsprings and no extended family living together. In a nuclear family, the son from a family chooses to marry and set up a separate household from his parents and create his own family in a nuclear unit. 

In an Indian joint family (also referred to as undivided family) the common relationships allow many generations to stay together. It mostly agrees with the definitions given earlier. The special feature of an Indian joint family is that the oldest male member is treated as the head of the family, known as the Karta. All the funds and income are put in a common family account through which the expenses of running the household are met. 

Features of a Joint Family

• Large size- Joint families are larger in size, unlike nuclear families. This is because different generations reside together and choose to not separate units and continue as the same unit. For instance, in joint families grandparents reside with their grandchildren under the same roof.
• Common kitchen- Usually a joint family cooks food in one kitchen and eats the same food. This is because they function as a common unit, in productive and survival terms. 
• Shared Residence – Living under the same roof is essential for a joint family. Even if not exactly under the same roof some joint families choose to live close to each other. Therefore the proximity of the family members is an essential feature of a joint family. 
• Shared property- The cooperative institution of a joint family shares family properties and incomes. The income of the members is pooled together so as to form a common fund to run the household. The members have rights over the common ancestral properties. The Karta or the head usually manages such property and accounts.
• Common worship- The family members follow the same religion and also worship similar deities. Celebrations, social festivities, etc. are jointly celebrated as well as religious duties and rites are collectively taken up. 

Conclusion

The topic of joint family has been covered in great detail. One has looked into joint family meaning with the help of various definitions prominent sociologists have put forward. The difference between joint and nuclear families has also been established. The features that distinguish a joint family are also mentioned and explained. The FAQs section provides additional information to address the most probable questions that might arise. The additional information will help towards a better understanding of the topic.