The members of joint families are feeling more relaxed in general than members of nuclear families during the lockdown.

This is the opinion of several families who shared their experiences with this correspondent. Many of them believe that living in a joint family creates a strong bond among the family members that also offers a sense of security during hard times like Covid-19 pandemic.

According to a local resident Shweta Khatri, "My two brother in-laws and their families live together in Balawala with my husband's parents. Within first week of lockdown, my children became very bored and annoyed.

I and my husband also started having arguments over trivial issues. On the insistence of my mother in-law, we went to live there just for two days but we stayed there for over a month.

I realised how happy we feel in a joint family.  We could share work, chores and our feelings with each other. We have returned to our apartment due to our work but my children are still staying there. They feel secure and happy there." According to another local Gaurav Dhiman, nuclear families are good if you want some space but in critical times like this, joint families provide great support.

"Many of my friends have nuclear families and they tell me almost every day how anxious and irritated they feel in their apartments. It is quite natural to feel low with the same three people for over 60 days," added  Dhiman.

However, as per some locals, living in a joint family also means to bear responsibilities of other members of the family too.

 Narayan Singh, a grocery store owner, said that he lives in a joint family of nine members and his brother and sister-in-law have not received their salaries since March therefore he has to take care of the expenses of all the family members. "To be a part of joint family means to be there to support one another. These are difficult times and will pass too," added Singh.

According to the members of nuclear families, the children are restless during lockdown which might have not happened if they were living in a joint family. "Of course joint families make children feel more loved, cared for and there is always someone for them to talk to or play with. But in a joint family, one has to think about each and every member.

There is negligible privacy in joint families. I have grown up in a joint family and it is mostly male-centric. Women are just to share household chores and to handle kids. I know many people who used to live away from their families also returned after coronavirus outbreak. But as soon as the situation will get normal, they will get back to their nuclear family lifestyle," shared a local teacher Upasana Chauhan.