Designer rakhis from Tihar Jail

With a gleam in her usually calm eyes, 40 year old Parvathi, busies herself in crafting rakhis filled with a feeling of forgiveness for her brother because of whom she has been languishing behind bars for the past 10 years.

Parvathi (name changed) is among the 30 inmates who are participating in a three-month long designer rakhi-making workshop organised at the high security Tihar jail here.

Coordinated by a non-governmental organisation, the rakhis thus made are sold at branch outlets across the country and the proceeds are used to pay wages to the prisoners and also contribute to other activities for correction and rehabilitation of the prison inmates by the organisation.

For the inmates in the central jail, the process of rakhi-making is an opportunity to bless the brothers in the world outside the prison boundaries with their prayers.

"We take care that each rakhi is made clean and beautiful to convey the love and dedication of each sister, who buys it, towards her brother," says Simra (name changed), a 39 year old inmate.

Simra belongs to a conservative village in Rajasthan and says that her brother doesn't feel nice to get a rakhi tucked from her while she is behind the bars. She awaits the day of her release and says the first festival she will celebrate after that is 'Rakshabandhan' with her brother.

The rakhis - a symbol of brotherly love - made by the prison inmates are being sold from branch outlets of Divya Jyoti Jagrati Sansthan (DJJS), an organisation that has been working for the reformation and rehabilitation of prisoners for the last 16 years.

"Life behind the bars affects the psychology of these people. So, we take help of spiritual, cultural and vocational tools in order to stabilise their mindsets and then channelise their otherwise diverted energies into a positive and constructive direction," Swami Vishalanand, the NGO's spokesperson told PTI.

Rakshabandhan is a symbol of pious love between a brother and a sister. "Rakhi is pledge to love and security that a sister and a brother take respectively. I don't consider what my brother did to me. I pray that this festival leaves good memories for all the sisters," says Parvathi, who has been in prison for the last 10 year on the charges of drug smuggling.

Parvathi, a native of Ratlam in Madhya Pradesh, was caught with a suitcase filled with drugs in August 2000 in the capital. The suitcase she says actually belonged to her foster brother who promised to take her to Haridwar with a latent intent of involving her in drug smuggling.

However, today with no grudges for her brother, Parvathi says she prays that every brother in India should tie a rakhi made by her and other inmates.

Apart from designer rakhis, eco-friendly wristbands are also being prepared under the workshop. 

"We have used jute threads and wooden beads to make eco-friendly wristbands, which are not only good and conventional in looks but also last longer and keep the memories of rakhi afresh.

Even in rakhis, apart from some decorative accessories, we have tried to keep them eco-friendly as well," says Vishalanand.

Alongwith the outlets of the NGO, the designer rakhis would also be sold through counters at several corporate offices and shopping complexes, in Delhi.

The jail authorities strive to give 100% employment especially to the female prisoners and also cultivate positive thoughts in them.

Rakhi-making workshop by DJJS is a part of such initiatives. These rakhis sell like hot cakes on our outlets like Tihar Haat," said Sunil Gupta, chief public relations officer, Central Jail Tihar.

As far as male prisoners are concerned, Rakshabandhan provides them an only opportunity in whole year to meet their
sisters face-to-face.

"However, it is occasion when a lot of banned articles can be supplied by the sisters to their brothers. To avoid any such activity, we provide them rakhis and sweets made within the jail premises," adds Gupta.