In the remote village of Baktawng Tlangnuam in Mizoram, India, lived a family so large that it captured worldwide curiosity and amazement. Ziona Chana, the head of this enormous family, passed away in 2021 but left behind a legacy that is quite extraordinary. He was survived by his 39 wives, 94 children, and 33 grandchildren, all of whom shared a vast four-story house with 100 rooms.
Ziona Chana’s family is reportedly the largest in the world, living a communal lifestyle that is rare and intriguing. Their enormous household operates like a small village, with chores and responsibilities divided among the family members. Each wife has her own room, where she sleeps with her children, while Ziona Chana maintained his own private bedroom. The mansion is a hive of activity, always bustling with children playing, meals being prepared, or chores being done.
The family's unique living arrangement and Ziona’s marital history have been the subject of various documentaries and media coverage. They belong to a Christian religious sect called "Chana," which was founded by Ziona’s grandfather in 1942 and allows polygamy. Ziona married his first wife when he was just 17, and he continued to expand his family over the following decades, with women from surrounding villages and communities joining the household.
Despite their size and the complexities such a large family might face, members of Ziona’s household have described their life as happy and fulfilling. They manage their resources collectively, growing most of their food in vast fields around their home and attending their own church. In terms of organization, the family has a well-established system for cooking and laundry, with certain wives allocated specific days to cook or do other tasks, ensuring that the household runs smoothly.
Local officials and people from nearby villages often visited the family, sometimes turning the visits into a form of local tourism. The Chana family, though an extreme example, highlights the diverse forms of family structures and communal living existing in India.
The legacy of Ziona Chana and his massive family continues to be a topic of fascination and discussion among those interested in the dynamics of large family structures, cultural practices, and the human interest elements that such a unique lifestyle entails.
