Community’s Perception of Childlessness in Three Different Ecological Settings of Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir

Abstract

Individual is an important component of the matrix of society. Society can be seen as an active system of relationships with family members relatives friends and neighbours .Society and individual have a reciprocal type of relationship since both influence and are influenced by each other. For the smooth functioning of the society it is essential for all its components to follow the norms. Giving birth to a child after marriage is considered as an important norm in most of the societies. Child bearing is a universal phenomenon as it is the primary factor for one generation to succeed another and keep the human race alive and moving. It is automatically assumed that couples will marry and have children. The childless couples in almost all societies have a negative Social Value and parenthood is considered as a norm. Besides personal reasons childlessness is at times regarded as a calamity for social reasons. In Indian society the birth of the first child seems to be really the very culmination of marriage. Indeed it may be true that the arrival of the first child in our society actually symbolizes final and complete maturity at the parents as adults. (excerpt)