Kalidasa, Saching Tendulkar, Barack Obama, Innocent, Benyamin, Paulo Coelho… they all share the same address inside the Ernakulam District Jail in Kakkanad.
Their words occupy shelves tucked around the welfare officer’s room, where books circulate among inmates who spend much of their lives waiting — for bail, hearings and decisions.
Reading has quietly become one of the most popular ways of enduring uncertainty here. Books become companions, distractions and, for many, the beginning of an unexpected habit.
Nearly 90 per cent of the inmates are remand prisoners. Since they are not legally subjected to routine prison labour, many suddenly find themselves with an agonising surplus of free time.
While some struggle with overthinking, officials estimate that between 60 and 80 per cent of inmates eventually turn to reading. The readers are as diverse, ranging from casual readers seeking distraction to highly educated inmates drawn to more intellectual works.
“Reading by itself is a path to reformation,” smiles Dr Mancy C Pareeth, the jail’s welfare officer.
“A crime often occurs at a flash point when a person becomes entirely self-absorbed. Reading systematically breaks that selfishness. It instils hope, reduces overthinking and engages the brain in a quiet transformation. The behavioural changes come later, but the psychological shift begins with the book.”
Dr Mancy recalls an inmate who initially refused to touch a book, saying he could not concentrate because his mind was consumed by what he described as “multilevel thinking” — racing thoughts fuelled by uncertainty and isolation.
“Over time, however, he was drawn to the shelves and eventually left the facility as an enthusiastic reader,” she says.
The library reflects the diversity of the prison population. Its collection spans Malayalam, English and Hindi, with plans to add Tamil titles. Controversial subjects such as radicalism are kept away during the screening process.
One of the library’s most sought-after titles is Benyamin’s ‘Aadujeevitham’, an officer informs. Its worn pages bear the marks of countless journeys from one inmate to another.
While ‘Aadujeevitham’ is about endurance, Coelho’s novels speak of possibility. “Stories of survival, hope and personal transformation are among top picks,” adds the officer.
The reference section too is active. Books that might gather dust in many public libraries are regularly borrowed here.
“Some inmates read legal texts to better understand the systems shaping their futures. Others turn to books on business, technology and current affairs, probably with an eye on life beyond prison,” the officer notes.
Reading habits often evolve in unexpected ways. According to officers, one curious sight here is of some inmate facing serious charges completely absorbed in the pages of ‘Balarama’. Perhaps the children’s comic offers them a simple escape from anxiety.
Biographies and cinema-related books are also popular. Sachin Tendulkar’s ‘Playing It My Way’ and Innocent’s ‘Cancer Wardile Chiri’ circulate constantly, alongside screenplays of films such as ‘Thanmathra’.
Self-help books, meanwhile, have great demand. “Books such as Rhonda Byrne’s ‘The Secret’ and David J Harkin’s ‘The Ripple Effect’ are among top picks,” says Dr Mancy.
Currently, the jail library has about 6,000 books. Supported by government grants and public contributions, the library is regularly updated, with every title screened before being added to the collection.
“Those who wish to donate books are more than welcome to get in touch with us,” says Dr Mancy.
The shelves offer neither freedom nor absolution. Yet week after week, they continue to draw readers. For many here, the simple act of turning a page becomes a way of moving forward.
This story was reported by Nihita Chinnu Sibu for TNIE – Kerala.