Family and Community
- Love and Dharma: Fundamental aspects of family life (as per Tiruvalluvar).
- Family: The basic and oldest social unit; different types exist in Indian society.
- Joint Family: Includes multiple generations living together (grandparents, parents, uncles, aunts, siblings, cousins).
- Nuclear Family: Limited to a couple and their children, sometimes only one parent with children.
Family
- English has limited terms for family relations.
- Indian languages have specific terms like bua, tau, chacha, mausi in Hindi.
- Tamil distinguishes elder and younger siblings with different terms.
- No specific word for ‘cousin’ in most Indian languages as cousins are considered brothers and sisters, showing stronger family bonds.
Roles and Responsibilities
- Family Relationships: Based on love, care, cooperation, and interdependence.
- Cooperation: Working together; each family member has specific roles and responsibilities.
- Parents raise children to be happy and responsible.
- Children gradually take on household responsibilities as they grow.
- Learning in Family:
- Family teaches traditions, practices, and values.
- Important values learned: Ahimsa (non-violence), Dāna (giving), Sevā (service), Tyāga (sacrifice).
- Story of Shalini (Kerala):
- Shalini’s family helps their financially struggling relatives during the Onam festival.
- Shalini sacrifices her silk dress to help her uncle, aunt, and cousin get new clothes.
- Lesson: Family supports each other, sharing resources in times of need.
- Story of Tenzing (Meghalaya):
- Tenzing’s family shares household chores, with his father and grandparents actively contributing.
- Grandmother shares stories, while grandfather helps with homework and social work.
- The family saves money and plans together for future needs, handling unexpected expenses collaboratively.
Community
- Community: A group of connected people supporting each other, often coming together for celebrations, agricultural practices, or resource-sharing.
- Examples: Festivities, weddings, land preparation, water conservation.
- Rules and Duties: Communities develop unwritten rules to ensure secure access to resources, requiring all members to fulfill their responsibilities.
- Story of Bhil Community (Madhya Pradesh):
- The Bhil community faced a water crisis and, following their halma tradition, planted trees and built water conservation structures to support each other without expecting payment.
- Chennai Floods (2015):
- Private and religious groups cooked and distributed food during the floods, showing community spirit in urban settings.
- Story of Kamal Parmar (Ahmedabad):
- Kamal Parmar taught underprivileged children after work hours, providing education and free meals, creating a community based on care and education.
- Urban Communities:
- Examples include Residents’ Welfare Associations, which create rules for cleanliness, waste management, and pet care, showing interdependence.
- Types of Communities:
- Communities can be based on religion, region, profession, interest, or social roles (e.g., Parsi community, farming community).
- Interdependence: Communities rely on each other and different groups, showcasing the flexible and interconnected nature of society.
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