The Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Bajrang Dal, and allied organisations have started a social media campaign named 'Sanyukt Parivar, Sukhi Parivar' to promote larger and multi-generational families among Hindus.
Multi-Generational Living
This comes in the background of the shrinking size of Indian families and concerns that the changes can lead to demographic shifts in the population of various religious groups. The campaign has been rolled out during the Ganeshotsav festival, and Lord Ganesha's family, including his mother, Goddess Parvati, father, Lord Shiva, and brother, Kartikeya, is portrayed as a symbol of a protective and united family.
Demographic Concerns
Mohan Salekar, pranth mantri of the VHP, said that the programme is based on the five-point plan, including samrasta or social equanimity, announced by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh to mark its centenary this year. The plan suggests that every Hindu family should have three children. "There is a danger of a change in the demography of states in the north-east, Assam, and West Bengal because of differences in the birth rates of religious groups. The same thing will happen in the rest of India if the change continues," said Salekar.
Nuclear vs. Joint Families
Another idea that forms part of the programme is to revive the tradition of multi-generational families. Gautam Ravaria, the Konkan province co-convenor of the Bajrang Dal, said that the trend towards nuclear families is a Western concept that Indians have adopted. "This has resulted in a lack of bonding between families. The absence of elderly people in the household means that children do not get enough exposure to ancestral wisdom and culture. We suggest families eat one meal together to develop bonding," said Ravaria, who added that the campaign has been introduced on social media, and events promoting the ideas are at the planning stage.
Events in Pipeline
Population data has shown that the average size of an Indian household fell from 4.86 in 2010 to 4.44 in 2021. In states where birth rates have fallen, such as Tamil Nadu, the average family size has shrunk below 4. Reasons for the change include trends such as urbanisation, fewer children per couple, aspirations, and the increased cost of living.
