Parivartan Newsletter

8/8/2019 Parivartan Newsletter.

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This was

not alwaysthe case. We usedto take a fewcourses with a

handful of partici-pants and the Jailauthorities were

reluctant to givepermission, ex-plains Giridhar

Garg, the maninstrumental inb r i ng ing thechange. Though

AOL activities hadstarted within the Jail

as early as 1999, it was only when the Jail Superin-tendent and the staff members did the AOL intro-ductory course in 2007, when things began to takea new turn. To begin with, most disputes within

the 100-strong staff force got settled and a positiveteam spirit was generated. Enthused, the Jail staffbegan encouraging the inmates to do the course.

In January 2008, when the first advance coursewas to be held, a surge of positive emotion sweptthrough the Jail. The Jail Band played wonderfullive music and the Advance Course teacher,Meghalji, received a grand reception through a

shower of flowers. Inmates expressed their happi-ness and gratitude in this way. The last day of thiscourse when experiences were shared, the I.G., ofthe police too was moved to tears, remembersGarg. Since then, several advance courses and YLTPs have taken place in this Jail complex. In2009-2010, the Womens Cell in the Jail alsostarted organizing AOL courses for female inmates.

As AOL courses picked up momentum, new ideasfor the welfare of the inmates began to surface.Numerous activity clubs for learning painting, pot-

tery, writing, calligraphy and astrology classeswere formed as a means to vent prisoners energy

in a productive way. Some inmates are seriouslypursuing writing. Mahaveer Modi (age 27) is writ-

ing his autobiography highlighting the life transfor-mational experience in the Jail titled PanchavaDham Hai Jail.To see a video about this story,go to:

A Painting institute is being run by a renowned art-

ist Dr. Meena Baya at the Jail premises. More than40 prisoners are learning painting

The Jails library has also been enriched and en-

hanced. Comic books and magazines have been

added in the library.

Computer training is also being provided in batches

and recently 20 new computers have been in-stalled.

A Dental college and Hospital staff is providing

weekly dental services in Jail. More than 150 den-tures have been replaced.

Besides, medical camps de-addiction camp, clothdistribution are also held from time to time.

A large hall named by Guruji as Athreya Kutir wasdeveloped within the Jail premises as a center whereprograms and camps are organized. Agnihotra is beingconducted regularly and some useful medicines are

also being formed out of its ash which are used to treatinmates. An exotic Rock Garden has been developed

with almost 1600 plants (including rare species).

The AOL team has ensured that the element of fun and

entertainment is maintained in the Ashram. All festivals

and birthdays of inmates and staff members are cele-brated with lot of gaiety. In such an environment, new

welfare ideas are emanating from the inmates them-selves. The 18 new Yuvacharyas have practically takenover from AOL teachers and are holding regularNavchetna Shivirs for new convicts. The released prisoners are in touch with AOL fraternity and areoft en assisted in finding jobs.

Garg, a scientist with a government department, was

recognized by Guruji for his efforts. He has inspiredmany a teachers, volunteers and philanthropists to getinvolved with the Jail activities. This project is a dreamcome true. Things happen on their own, he says,humbly. Always bubbling with new ideas, Garg has

proposed a Teachers Training Course for inmatesacross some 20 jails in Rajasthan. He is also pitchingfor a videoconferencing facility within Udaipur Jail so

that inmates could interact with Guruji. Garg is nowkeen to work in rural development to find linkages be-

tween Jail improvement and rural upliftment.

Where there is a will, there is a way.The Udaipur Jails

success story clearly exemplifies this famous saying.

GIRDHARI JI WITH Ex-DIRECTOR GENERAL

OF RAJASTHAN PRISON, MR PK TIWARI

Issue 1, Vol. 1 Page 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0EWAgkXKnU

UDAIPUR PRISON
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0EWAgkXKnUhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0EWAgkXKnUhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0EWAgkXKnU


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Page 3Issue 1, Vol. 1

AOLs Stress Management and Rehabilitation Train-ing (SMART) program was introduced in Tihar jail in1999. In Tihar Jail alone, 48,000 prison inmates have

benefited from the program. Special courses havealso been conducted for the prison staff to cope withthe stress owing to the nature of their job. Every

year two courses are conducted for the prison staffand almost 130 staff members have done the Art ofLiving Introductory Course.

A recently conducted course that has made tremen-dous impact on the youngsters in the Jail No 5 ofTihar Jail Complex is the Youth Empowerment &Skills (Yes+) course. Spread over five days, thecourse was conducted by 12 teachers in May, 2010.The participant strength was 200. Of the 9 jails inTihar complex, Jail No 5 inmates are youngsters be-tween the age group pf 16 to 25. They are infamousfor being adamant, rude and non-complaint.

Though initially reluctant, the participants startedexhibiting tangible changes from Day 3 onwards.They slowly began enjoying the course so much that

they started offering themselves for volunteer workduring the course. On the last day, they cried whole-

heartedly, opening themselves and sharing their per-sonal experience without any hesitation.

Says Karan Nijhawan, a Yes Plus teacher presentduring the course, Initially, it was difficult to askthem to do anything but with passage of time andafter experiencing Sudarshan Kriya they exhibitedtangible change. The experiences shared by themcan make one cry.

Says another teacher, Rohit Ranjan about the prison-ers, Initially, it was quite challenging to hold their at-tention. But after the Sudarshan Kriya, it became easyto connect with them.

One participant Ajay (name changed) shares, I neverfelt my breath this light before in my whole life. Today,I am feeling so much peace and silence than I never

felt before. Another 22 year old participant, Sayeed(name changed) who was in Tihar for the third time,

was found smoking during the course. To relieve himof his habit the teacher challenged the ego in him andasked Are you so weak that you cannot quit smok-

ing?. This worked! He quit smoking from that veryday. The various processes of our program are so cus-tomized that they work in every situation. Sayeed alsoinitially expressed that he wanted to be a notoriousperson since his childhood, but later during the course,

he vouched to leave criminal life.

An 18 year old boy, Jolly (name changed) in the Jail forthe fourth time, did not participate in the processes ofthe course and would do his own thing when the ses-sions would be on. On the last day of the course, how-ever, he volunteered to organize the next course inJail. Jolly also went on to convince his friend in another

ward of the Jail to do the course as it was life transfor-mational.

The jail staff also felt that the course had a tremen-

dous positive impact. S C Bharadwaj, the Superinten-

dent of Jail No 5, complimented the AOL team by say-ing that it was a well-organised course which hasbenefited the inmates immensely. He said: Thebreathing techniques helped the inmates to release all

their negative emotions and start life afresh. All hiddentalents of the inmates were exposed especially duringthe last day,

Indeed. Especially designed for the youth, the Yes Pluscourse came across as a breath of fresh air for the

young participants of Tihar jail.

YES PLUS IN TIHAR


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Page 4Issue 1, Vol. 1

Fa;dgjadgjadgjadjgaekraw;elkrw;el4kopcviockvl;klvFa;dgjadgjadgjadjgaekraw;elkrw;el4kopcviockvl;klvGurujis Inspiring Word

Inside every culprit, there is a

victim crying for help. That person

is also a victim of ignorance, small-

mindedness and lack of awareness.

Its the stress, lack of broad vision

about life, lack of understanding,

and bad communication that leadsto violence in society.

H.HSri Sri Ravi Shankar,

AOL and IAHV Founder

FIRST YES COURSE FOR CHILDREN IN BAL

SUDHAR GRAH, JUVENILE HOME, INDORE

WITH SHRESHTHA TIWARI.

Picture Gallery

WOMEN INMATES OF RAJAHMUNDRY PRISON

IN ANDRA PRADESH EXPERIENCING RELIEF

THROUGH THE PART I COURSE WITH VAISHALI

VENKATANARAYAN.

FIRST PART II PRISON COURSE IN ANDRA

PRADESH WITH SANJUKTA MOHANTY JI IN

RAJAHMUNDRY PRISON.

GURUJI BEING WELCOMED DURING HIS

LAST VISIT TO TIHAR JAIL.

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