Women, waiting to get married, in Madhya Pradesh are getting the teachings ‘how to become an ideal, obedient and submissive wives and daughters-in-laws’ in a special and unique school. The school has many such students but several social activists and women’s organizations have expressed anger on the the idea of this school.

Manju Sanskar Kendra had founded the school way back in 1987 in Bhopal. The school actually teaches the lesson or the ‘art’ how the young women should serve her husband and in-laws. The School teaches the art to women the ways to become good housewives and how to prevent family splits.

Bhau Ayaldas Hemnani, the founder and director of the school, said that the school has the preliminary goal to save the Indian family values. The Kendra has a goal that the splits in Indian families under the pressures should be restricted.

He said further that Indian families are facing the similar problem these days and the women may save it. We teach women how to serve their husbands and how to behave with her in-laws in the family. We also tell them to keep patience when adjusting to their new home and family environment.

Hemani said that an ideal wife should have four elements implemented in her life after marriage such as obedience, a healthy lifestyle, be loved by her husband and attached to the household.

According to the report, the school offers a three-month course that teaches about the importance and relevance of ‘Indian culture’. It also teaches that how the woman can adjust to her new family after marriage.

In a first month of teaching, students learn Sikh and Hindu scriptures, learn naturopathy in second month and elements of successful domestic life in third month.

On the other hand, several women’s rights activists and groups have called the idea of the school as preposterous, anti-women. They have demanded to open a school to teach men how to lead a successful domestic life also.

Sandhya Shelly, president of the All India Democratic Women’s Association, said that the Kendra should open school for teaching men to be an ideal husband, father or son. It would be a step towards building a balanced society. Why only train girls to be obedient?

Despite of the criticism by several organizations, the Kendra has become much popular in the region and it has produced more than 4,500 graduates from till now. One of the student said that her sister-in-law is an ideal daughter-in-law in the family and she motivated her to join the school here because it teaches the basic and must-know things before marriage.

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