The world’s biggest family: The man with 39 wives, 94 children and 33 grandchildren

The world’s biggest family: The man with 39 wives, 94 children and 33 grandchildren

Ziona Chana lives with all of them in a 100-room mansion. His wives take it in turns to share his bed. It takes 30 whole chickens just to make dinner. He is head of the world’s biggest family – and says he is ‘blessed’  to have his 39 wives.

They live in a 100-room, four storey house set amidst the hills of Baktwang village in the Indian state of Mizoram, where the wives sleep in giant communal dormitories.

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You treat this place like a hotel: With 100 rooms the Ziona mansion is the biggest concrete structure in the hilly village of Baktawng.

The family is organised with almost military discipline, with the oldest wife Zathiangi organising her fellow partners to perform household chores such as cleaning, washing and preparing meals.

One evening meal can see them pluck 30 chickens, peel 132lb of potatoes and boil up to 220lb of rice.

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He even married ten women in one year, when he was at his most prolific, and enjoys his own double bed while his wives have to make do with communal dormitories.

He keeps the youngest women near to his bedroom with the older members of the family sleeping further away – and there is a rotation system for who visits Mr Chana’s bedroom.

The wives and I: Mr Ziona Chana poses with his 39 wives at their home in Baktawang, Mizoram, India

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Shared bedroom: A look inside the four-storey mansion, Chhuanthar Run – The House of the New Generation