How does a man in India's remote northeast have 39 wives and 100 children?

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SUMMARY

Ziona Chana, a 66-year-old man from Mizoram, India, has 39 wives, 94 children, and 33 grandchildren, living in a four-story building with 100 rooms. He leads a local Christian sect known as the "Chana," which permits polygamy and has around 400 families as members. The sect, established in June 1942, believes in a future where they will rule the world alongside Christ. The discussion highlights cultural perceptions of polygamy and the economic implications of such a large family structure.

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  • #31
Containment said:
Do you realize the amount of income from wellfare you would pull in with 50 wives all having multiple children?

No, actually I don't know. I *do* know that having one spouse and one child and trying to live off of a welfare income is next to impossible.

But, so, do they have a comparable welfare system in India?
 
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  • #32
39 wives is 39 incomes. all under one roof is economy of scale. it's smarter than you think.
 
  • #33
Proton Soup said:
39 wives is 39 incomes. all under one roof is economy of scale. it's smarter than you think.

Ah, okay see, I didn't consider each of them working. There are several references in the article where the much-married-man talks about him "taking care of" these women. So my likely limited North American mind equated "taking care of" to encompass financial situations as well.

So, yes, at least 39 adult incomes -- more, actually, because he has grown children who are also married living with them, so consider their incomes and their spouses' incomes too -- and yes, you'd have a fair amount of cash coming in. And, as you said, economies of scale kicks in.

It was simply an assumption on my part because of language usage and local interpretation.