New Delhi, Nov 8 (IANS): Veteran Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader L.K. Advani Tuesday took a break from his cross-country Jan Chetna Yatra - public awareness march - to celebrate his 84th birthday in the national capital.

Addressing supporters, Advani recalled his long association with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) terming it as his "ideological family".

Advani said he became a swayamsevak at 14 and considers it his "good fortune" that he got two families - an ideological family apart from his personal family.

The BJP leader said that emphasis on the institution of family was a social strength of the country and disintegration of families in the West had led to problems there.

"I feel if India has some power from the social point of view, it is the institution of family. If we compare with Western countries, the disintegration of families has led to problems," Advani said.

Advani was born on Nov 8, 1927 and grew up in pre-partition Sindh.

Advani's yatra will proceed from Jodhpur in Rajasthan Wednesday before its culmination in Delhi Nov 20.