RAIPUR: Prison in Raipur, well illuminated and ventilated, looks no different from a typical government school classroom, during the practice of yoga and Sudarshan Kriya.
The Chhattisgarh government, as an innovative prison reform measure, has introduced this practice.
It is followed in all district jails of the state with the support of the Art of Living Foundation.
Trainers from the foundation are teaching yoga, meditation, and Sudarshan Kriya to inmates under the “Prison Course”, which has helped prisoners attain mental peace and inner strength, the jail officials said.
The Vishnu Deo Sai government believes that prisons should not only be a place of punishment but also institutions of reform and rehabilitation.
The yoga and meditation classes in jails are held every day from 7:30 to 9:30 am.
The initiative has apparently brought about positive changes in the daily routine of both the prison administration and the inmates. The state government has taken the support of the Art of Living foundation in this campaign.
“In prisons located in Maoist-affected districts such as Bastar, Dantewada, Bijapur, and Sukma, the programme has particularly yielded significant results. Inmates who once walked the path of violence and used arms are now engaging in yoga as a routine discipline”, officials added.
Such a transformation in the strife-torn region is sending a strong message to society that it is possible to move away from violence and embrace peace and self-empowerment.
The inmates revealed that with regular yoga and meditation, there is a notable decline in their stress level, improved sleep quality and a boost in self-confidence.
“The incidents of fights and indiscipline among inmates have also reduced after the introduction of the programme”, stated the officials.
“We want inmates, after being out of jail, not to become a burden on society but to contribute to nation-building. Yoga and Sudarshan Kriya will give them a new life”, said chief minister Vishnu Deo Sai.
Many inmates in their personal feedback to jail officials admitted that the routine practices have helped them 'overcome anger and negativity, giving them the strength to look at the future with positivity'.