PUNE (PTI): The bands that were smeared with sin now weave dreams on looms, mould deities from metal, carve exquisite furniture from logs of teak and even spray color enlivening a dull blank canvas.
Behind the stem grey walls of the high security historic Yerwada central prison in this city of Maharashtra state is an industry bubbling with activity-manned by the convicts undergoing sentences: for various crimes from murder to drug trafficking.
In this prison are men who present 4 picture of remorse, a battle to India what was done – their creativity giving them a new lease of hope and their jail, the status of an industry that even exports its produce.
No man is born a criminal but becomes one as a victim of circumstances seemed to be the Message echoing the precincts of the Yerwada jail.
“The creative activity is aimed at both reforming and rehabilitating those who enter the prison, Inspector General (prisons) Maharashtra, M.G. Narvane said
Hasan, a businessman undergoing a 10 year term for drug trafficking is waiting the day when he would be reunited with his family in the gulf.
“Here I have learned to weave Carpets,” Hassan says hoping to include carpet making and its marketing as pan of his business once is free.
Well conversant with the rules that bind him and the rights that he has as a prisoner, Hassan calculates the remission period that Would be his after putting in the good work’ at the jail.
However, 18-year-old Kathy, also serving a sentence under the narcotics act, says she is not quite happy knitting cardigans in the women’s jail.
“I wanted to learn stenography ‘and typing Kathy says her mind wandering away to the happier carefree days at College.
While the male convicts are en: paged in more “rough and tough” jobs like carpentry, metal casting leather works, smithy and even weaving, their women counter parts dwell mostly on knitting and tailoring.
Amidst that deafening monotonous sound of machines in the carpentry and smithy sections what strikes a discordant note is the singular tale of each man behind the machine – each tale never the- Joss bound with an interweaving thread of hope.
Those in the catcher section bend over their work cutting and stitching to shape slippers that perfectly fit the foot _ as if each stitch signifies their effort to mend their lives.
Deepak Wankhede, a fine arts Student undergoing life-term for murder, gathers the saw dust in the carpentry section where he works to give the final touches to the three-dimensional painting he is at.
A young African engineering graduate casting exquisite Hindu deities from metal is unaware of his surroundings. “After all, God is one,” his eyes seem to say when he looks askance.
However, the 80 hectares acres of “open prison” where convicts are engaged in their work is more an image of real “freedom.”
The 60-year-old Patil’s eyes sparkle when he says, “my son will graduate next year. He is pursuing his education with the money I send from here. The savings from the daily wages I came for the work I do here,” he adds. The Yerwada jail industry not only caters to the various requirements of the Maharashtra government including that for furniture and uniforms for the police department but also exports shins to Germany through stat authorities.
Sophisticated machines used for spinning yam, manufacturing hosiery material besides other cloth helps in quality goods production and also increases the Workers efficiency.
The jail industry in Maharashtra has earned a net port it of about R.s million this year with Yerwada alone producing about RS 80 million worth of goods including furniture and cloth and about 1.6 million worth of agricultural produce, official figures indicate.
“More than the benefits derived by the state from the jail industry, the sense of discipline and motivation involved helps the convicts to merge with the society once they get a fresh lease of life.” deputy inspector-general (prisons) KG Mahajan feels.
It is often said the walls of prisons are built with bricks of shame, but at Yorwada it is age if the walls are built with the bricks of remorse and penitence.
Article extracted from this publication >> August 19, 1994
