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Adnan Abidi / Reuters
Family members of Ziona Chana pose for a group photograph in Baktawng village, India, on Oct. 7, 2011. Ziona is the head of a religious sect called "Chana," which allows polygamy and was founded by his father, Chana, in 1942. Ziona has 39 wives, 94 children and 33 grandchildren.
Reuters reports:
The more, the merrier is certainly true for Ziona Chana, a 66-year-old man in India's remote northeast with 39 wives, 94 children and 33 grandchildren -- and he wouldn't mind having more.
They all live in a four story building with 100 rooms in a mountainous village in Mizoram state, sharing borders with Myanmar and Bangladesh, media reports said.
"I once married 10 women in one year," he was quoted as saying.
Adnan Abidi / Reuters
Zuali, 37, twentieth wife of Ziona Chana, adjusts his shirt as his sons and driver watch before heading toward the construction site of a church in Baktawng, India, on Oct. 5, 2011.
Adnan Abidi / Reuters
Ziona Chana's family members wave from a vehicle on their way to a church construction site in Baktawng, India, on Oct. 5, 2011.
His wives share a dormitory near Ziona's private bedroom and locals said he likes to have seven or eight of them by his side at all times.
The sons and their wives, and all their children, live in different rooms in the same building, but share a common kitchen.
The wives take turns cooking, while his daughters clean the house and do washing. The men do outdoor jobs like farming and taking care of livestock.
EPA
Children of 67-year-old Ziona Chana have lunch at their home on Oct. 28, 2011.
The family, all 167 of them, consumes around 200 pounds of rice and more than 130 pounds of potatoes a day. They are supported by their own resources and occasional donations from followers.
"Even today, I am ready to expand my family and willing to go to any extent to marry," Ziona said.
"I have so many people to care (for) and look after, and I consider myself a lucky man."
Ziona met his oldest wife, who is three years older than he is, when he was 17.
Adnan Abidi / Reuters
A view of Ziona Chana's house in Baktawng, India, on Oct. 6, 2011. He lives in this 4-story, 100-room house with 181 members of his family.
He heads a local Christian religious sect, called the "Chana," which allows polygamy. Formed in June 1942, the sect believes it will soon be ruling the world with Christ and has a membership of around 400 families.
Hindu, India's dominant religion, does not allow polygamy, but the nation's laws allow Muslim men to have more than one wife.
India, the world’s second-most populous country behind China, has a birth rate of 2.6 babies for each woman. That pace is expected to keep India's population rising. Analysts say India will reach 1.53 billion population by 2030, when it will surpass China as No. 1 in population.
The United Nations Population Fund, which predicts the world population will reach 7 billion by Oct. 31, says that the world will be on its way to 9 billion 20 years later.
- msnbc.com editors Natalia Jimenez and Jim Gold, with wire service reports.
See more posts and images related to the seven billion population milestone
Leave a Comment:
Really? One man created this mess. Perhaps we should be thinking about vasectomies for ALL before the planet is completely overrun with humans. This should be illegal.
yeah i couldn't agree with you more vasectomies is the only answer. this is whats wrong with our animal shelters the way cats multiply because of people who own them don't have them spayed or neutered and leave them outside to run a stray. this is really rediculous and it should be illegal i do agree. i would consider it a felony 38 counts. their is supposed to be seven woman for everyman but its not meant to have 39 wives. he would have 38 felony charges on him if i had anything to do with these laws. as i don't believe in cheaters. if two people love each other then they have no reason to cheat if after marriage. those who were caught men or woman would be charged with a felony just because of the way i believe things should be done. he will have to deal with our good lord later and who knows for sure if god would allow such behavior out of a situation as this. sickening in my own opinion. j.d.lutz (ohio)
if this isn't a sign of the real beverly hillbillies; husband probably died working on his 95th child. what do you call this kind of relationship? keeping in the family this is really something.
Vasectomy hell, he should have been shot a long time ago.
We have to stop glorifying these irresponsible breeders. No reality shows, no smiling photos. They should be ostracized and ridiculed for the thoughtless and dangerous choices.
When you see something like this you have to wonder about the right-to-lifers in the United States who want to define a newly fertilized egg as a human being. This will inexorably produce a planet so overcrowded we will quickly consume our natural resources and the human race will starve to death. Do these right-to-lifers honestly believe the Lord wants to condemn the human race to an eternity of such pain, suffering, and death?
Not one pretty face among the girls in the top photo, damn.
Much as I don't approve of the very large family, it's not for me to judge. The women would very likely be married and having just as many children with other husbands. At least this family can mostly support themselves on their farm.
His oldest wife is 3 years older- how old is his youngest?
Really, if a wife or three or a husband or three makes you and them happy that's fine, but you should only be allowed maybe one child with each. Not 39 wives/husbands and so many children...
One is enough for me and we're child-free by choice. This is just ridiculous, and all in the name of religion.
this is just nonsense and bul@!$%#. this guy is a psychopath. he is a disgrace to the planet and civilization and society. human beings have proved even worse than dinausurs and have ruined gods beautiful creation with their prolific acts that only causes population explosion, hunger, poverty, drain on resources and nothing else. this guy should be send to jail (or send him to china). I am sure he is getting donations on the name of religion and thriving on resources of a poor community. please stop this nonsense.