PUDUCHERRY: 'Murder’ Manikandan! The name itself was enough to give anyone the jitters, but not any longer. Instead of ‘Murder’, Manikandan, languishing in the Puducherry Central Prison for more than 23 years, now would like to add ‘farmer’ as a prefix.
For the once-dreaded criminal undergoing a life sentence, turning over a new leaf was not a cakewalk. He has ‘Puthiya Nambikkai’, a model project implemented two years ago by the authorities of Puducherry Central Prison in association with the Sri Aurobindo Society (SAS).
“So many years, I have been whiling away time doing nothing. My only achievement was the crimes I did,” says Manikandan who had been confined in a solitary cell until recently. “But now, every morning I wake up with a mind so fresh to nurture the plants and cultivate new ones. I am free to move around in the fields. I feel my mindset has undergone a sea change. Somehow, I landed in bad company and picked up a criminal life. Now, I want to do some honourable work and lead a family life,” he says with hope shining in his eyes.
The life convict’s desire to lead a good life is so strong that he managed to complete BBA through correspondence and got married while he was on parole in 2020. He is father to a baby now.Many life convicts are engaged in natural farming and rearing birds and animals after the prison authorities along with SAS launched multi-crop cultivation of 69 varieties through natural farming on 2.5 acres of land, the first-of-its-kind in any jail, four months ago. Now, the land under cultivation has expanded to 4 acres.
SAS has given training to the inmates and provided them with all the resources like materials, implements, irrigation systems and seeds to make the initiative a success. The animal farm in the prison not only aids in natural farming but also helps create a social and emotional attitude among the inmates towards community living.
IG prisons Ravideep Singh Chahar said the farming initiative was started four months ago as part of ‘Puthiya Nambikkai’ to provide a conducive environment to the inmates and to inculcate in them a feeling of community living, as they are totally cut off from society now.
“While farming and rearing animals induce a sense of caring, learning the skills kindles their creative talent and makes them happy. The prisoners have started experimenting with crops, and product making and are coming up with good results. For their mental well-being, activities like yoga, psychiatric counselling, dance and music therapy have also been introduced. Following the footsteps of SAS, many other NGOs are also chipping in,” he says, adding the activities have brought in a sea change in the behaviour of several inmates.
Manikandan is not the only prisoner who has reformed. Karuna (54), a life convict languishing in prison for more than 23 years, has turned head over heels for natural farming. Now, he is often seen spending time with the animals on the farm which has cows, hens, goose, ducks, goats, rabbits and turkey.
Pradeep Prem of Sri Aurobindo Society says the whole idea of the farming initiative is to make it sustainable. “The produce from the farm is being used by the inmates in their kitchen. Plus, the income generated from the farm and other activities is being used to support the education, skill development of their children,” he points out.
At present, the prisoners are also involved in creating handicrafts, home décor, tailoring and block printing, mat weaving, wood carving and the like. “A few have started reading books, newspapers and journals available in the library established by SAS. Some are even started writing books,” says Mamta of SAS.
Most of the 80 convicts in the prison are actively involved in one activity or the other, with the help of which, they not only pick up a skill but also earn enough to support their families outside.On average SAS gives the prisoners Rs 3,.000 to Rs 5,000 per month for farming, Rs 6,000 to Rs 7,000 for tailoring works, Rs 7,000 to 8,000 for mat-weaving and so on. This amount is in addition to the prison wages.
“The society is supporting an inmate who has been diagnosed with cancer. The wives and children of the prisoners are also being supported by SAS by giving them employment. This year until now, Rs 2,96,213.00 has been spent on the education of children and Rs 43,000 for the livelihood programmes of the families,” Pradeep says.
Around 20 convicts are now skilled in natural farming and once they are released, they will take up the work to make the ends meet. “Already a seed bank has been established in the prison and the seeds would be handed over free of cost to those inmates who take up natural farming when they are released.
Many prisoners including Paramasivam, a fish merchant from Sandhaipudukuppam, Mulavan from Villianur, and Ravi, a driver convicted in a murder case, have revealed their plan to take up natural farming after their release, says Superintendent of Jails, V Bhaskar.
Once convicted of murder, Shakthi, learned to make creative products while he was in prison. “Now after release some four months ago, he is still associated with SAS and is taking up orders so that he could earn a livelihood. He takes up work of garments and is getting paid,” says Mamta.
Now the prison inmates are all elated and everyone is focused on one activity or another. “They have all changed. No cell phones were found in their possession during checking in the last six times,” says Baskaran. The convicts are upbeat as they are no longer seen as criminals.