Household chores are an essential part of daily life in an Indian family. Women, in particular, play a significant role in managing the household, cooking meals, and taking care of children. However, with changing times, men are increasingly taking on more domestic responsibilities, and the concept of "home-making" is becoming more egalitarian.
Increasingly, this classic model is fragmenting. The nuclear family is rising in metropolitan cities. The grandmother now lives alone in the ancestral village, watching her grandchildren’s photos on WhatsApp. The daily chai is a solitary affair with a phone screen. Yet, the stories adapt. The nuclear family creates its own traditions: a Sunday video call with the grandparents, a shared subscription to a streaming service, a potluck with neighbors who have become “chosen family.” The core philosophy— Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (the world is one family)—has not vanished; it has merely found new containers. Household chores are an essential part of daily
No one truly listened to everything, but everyone was heard. Increasingly, this classic model is fragmenting
Sunita walked to the puja room one last time. She lit a single diya (lamp) and placed it next to a framed photo of her late father-in-law. She whispered a prayer for Rohan’s job placement, for Tara’s school test, for Meera’s headache to go away, for Rajeev’s blood pressure to stay low. The daily chai is a solitary affair with a phone screen
While the traditional "joint family" system—where three or more generations live under one roof—is evolving into nuclear setups in urban centers, the spirit of the joint family remains. Even in high-rise apartments in Mumbai or Bangalore, the "extended family" is just a WhatsApp group away.