ANANTAPUR: At a time when nuclear families are becoming the norm, a family in Kurllapalli village of Kalyandurg mandal is keeping the spirit of the traditional joint family alive. Six generations of the descendants of Chimmala Nagappa and Kotla Yallappa continue to live together under one roof, sharing responsibilities, resources and a common way of life.
What began generations ago has grown into a closely knit family of 75 members spread across 20 households. Their unique lifestyle, rooted in cooperation and mutual respect, has drawn attention from across the region.
The family traces its roots to Chimmala Nagappa, a prominent landowner of Kurllapalli. Unlike many families that split into separate households over generations, Nagappa’s descendants chose to remain together and today form a rare six-generation joint family.
Third-generation elder Kotla Hanumantha Rayudu leads the family with support from other senior members. Together, they manage 120 acres of farmland and cultivate crops including groundnut, paddy, tomato, watermelon, brinjal, chilli and papaya. Their assets include 1,100 sheep, 70 buffaloes, 50 cows, 20 dogs, three tractors, a Bolero, an Eicher truck and two buses.
The family uses milk produced by its cattle for household needs and provides it free of cost to village families for infants.
The kitchen starts operations at 5 am, with four women preparing breakfast and lunch. A family member transports food to work sites in a Bolero. The household consumes nearly 50 kg of rice daily. Ragi mudda is a staple breakfast, while rice is main for lunch. Non-vegetarian food is prepared once a week, requiring up to 30 kg of mutton or 20 kg of chicken.
Discipline forms another pillar of the family’s success. Every member begins the day early and attends to assigned duties. At 7 am, the men gather with the family head to discuss farming activities, finances, livestock management, transportation and daily responsibilities. The meeting reviews the previous day’s work and helps allocate tasks for the day ahead.
Speaking about the family’s enduring unity, family elder Kotla Hanumantha Rayudu said, “Living together as one family gives us immense happiness. No one is treated as superior or inferior. We ensure that everyone’s educational, financial and personal needs are met equally. Differences arise in every family, but we resolve them through open discussions. This is the result of collective effort and a shared sense of belonging,” he said.
Another family member, K Mahesh, said, “Our father Hanumantha Rayudu and uncle Muthyalappa supervise the family’s overall functioning. Every member has specific responsibilities and performs them with dedication. We treat every task as our own, and that sense of ownership keeps the family united and productive.”
