1. Depth of Generations: A joint family consists of people of three or more generations including grandparents, parents, and children. Sometimes, other kins such as uncles, aunts, cousins, and great-grandsons also live in a joint family.

2. Common Roof: Henry Maine called the joint family a ‘Greater Home’. Members of the joint family normally reside together under the same roof. It is a place to uphold the family Heritage. It is a place for Socio, Economic, Religious, Entertainment, etc. Due to the scarcity of accommodation members of the joint family may reside separately. Still, they try to retain regular contacts and the feeling of belonging to the same family. They have emotional and economic links with the original family.

3. Common Kitchen: Members eat the food prepared jointly at the common kitchen. Normally, the eldest female member of the family (the wife of the Karta) supervises the work at the kitchen. Rest of the female members engaged in different kitchen work. A single kitchen under a common roof is a unique element of joint family.

4. Common Worship: Joint family derives its strength from religion. Hence, it is associated with various religious rituals and practices. Every family may have its own deity of ‘Kula devata’ and its own religious tradition. Members of the family take part in common worship, rites, and ceremonies. At least once a year they join other members to take part in the festivals, feasting, marriage ceremonies and so on.

5. Common Property: The members hold a common property. As O’ Malley writes: “The joint family is a co-operative institution similar to a joint-stock company in which there is a co-operative institution similar to a joint-stock company in which there is a joint property”. The ‘ total earnings of the members are pooled into a common purse of the family and family expenses are met without of that.