<p>Fresh from a ‘spiritual transformation’ trip to Haridwar, Tihar inmate Narendra Giri said he wants to be set free and repents for the offence for which he was lodged in the jail.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Giri, a resident of Uttar Pradesh’s Ghazipur district, is serving a life sentence after he was found guilty of abetting his wife’s suicide. He was a part of an 18-prisoner contingent which spent two weeks in Haridwar for a ‘Rupantaran yatra’ (transformation tour) organised by Swami Ashutosh of Panchvati Yogashram.<br /><br />The 14-day long yatra, which ended on Tuesday, selected the prisoners from 25 inmates who had applied for furlough. The convicts had to undertake a pool of activities including Yoga sessions and bathing in the holy water of River Ganges at the various ghats.<br /><br />“It was a great experience for me. I was booked for my wife’s suicide by my in-laws in 2004 following which I severed all ties with everyone and was on run. I surrendered in 2006 after returning home because the police was harassing my family following which I was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2006,” Narendra Giri said.<br /><br />Giri had lost all interest in life, being content to know that both his daughters were married in the year 2010. This yatra has revived his enthusiasm for life again.<br /><br />“I really enjoyed the yatra. There are many people who are from poor families. I believe that we (inmates who have undertaken this yatra) are now transformed and do not have any ill feelings in their heart. People who have committed the crime unknowingly and for the first time should be set free,” Giri added.<br /><br />The prisoners had to wake up at 5 in the morning, take bath and pray. This was followed by a yoga session and bath at various ghats of the Ganges. The convicts cooked their food in the langars, bathed the cows and slept by 10 pm.<br /><br />“We realised that the impact of spirituality and religious ceremonies can change a person and his heart. The yatra was does conducted for these people who had no contact with the outer world and had not met their families for a long time,” said Swami Ashutosh.<br /><br />“The yatra was conducted in AC buses and to make it exciting we took them to different ghats everyday. They were asked to shave their heads and undertake the sacred threading ceremony, but nobody was forced to do it. Some inmates did it, while others did not,” he added.<br /><br />Another inmate, Bhim Singh, who has been lodged in the jail for the last eight years, was elated while narrating his experience.<br /><br />“I consider myself to be lucky to be part of this tour. I don’t have any ill-feeling in my heart. I will share my experiences with the other inmates who were not a part of this journey,” he said.<br /><br />Singh, a resident of Karol Bagh, is in jail after allegedly committing a murder.Jail authorities said they are planning more such events based on the requests received by them from the convicts.<br /><br />“The convicts wanted to go out as they have been lodged in the jail for years and did not have any visitor. So, when on furlough they went for this tour. Depending on the requests, we can organise more such events and tours,” a jail official said.</p>
<p>Fresh from a ‘spiritual transformation’ trip to Haridwar, Tihar inmate Narendra Giri said he wants to be set free and repents for the offence for which he was lodged in the jail.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Giri, a resident of Uttar Pradesh’s Ghazipur district, is serving a life sentence after he was found guilty of abetting his wife’s suicide. He was a part of an 18-prisoner contingent which spent two weeks in Haridwar for a ‘Rupantaran yatra’ (transformation tour) organised by Swami Ashutosh of Panchvati Yogashram.<br /><br />The 14-day long yatra, which ended on Tuesday, selected the prisoners from 25 inmates who had applied for furlough. The convicts had to undertake a pool of activities including Yoga sessions and bathing in the holy water of River Ganges at the various ghats.<br /><br />“It was a great experience for me. I was booked for my wife’s suicide by my in-laws in 2004 following which I severed all ties with everyone and was on run. I surrendered in 2006 after returning home because the police was harassing my family following which I was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2006,” Narendra Giri said.<br /><br />Giri had lost all interest in life, being content to know that both his daughters were married in the year 2010. This yatra has revived his enthusiasm for life again.<br /><br />“I really enjoyed the yatra. There are many people who are from poor families. I believe that we (inmates who have undertaken this yatra) are now transformed and do not have any ill feelings in their heart. People who have committed the crime unknowingly and for the first time should be set free,” Giri added.<br /><br />The prisoners had to wake up at 5 in the morning, take bath and pray. This was followed by a yoga session and bath at various ghats of the Ganges. The convicts cooked their food in the langars, bathed the cows and slept by 10 pm.<br /><br />“We realised that the impact of spirituality and religious ceremonies can change a person and his heart. The yatra was does conducted for these people who had no contact with the outer world and had not met their families for a long time,” said Swami Ashutosh.<br /><br />“The yatra was conducted in AC buses and to make it exciting we took them to different ghats everyday. They were asked to shave their heads and undertake the sacred threading ceremony, but nobody was forced to do it. Some inmates did it, while others did not,” he added.<br /><br />Another inmate, Bhim Singh, who has been lodged in the jail for the last eight years, was elated while narrating his experience.<br /><br />“I consider myself to be lucky to be part of this tour. I don’t have any ill-feeling in my heart. I will share my experiences with the other inmates who were not a part of this journey,” he said.<br /><br />Singh, a resident of Karol Bagh, is in jail after allegedly committing a murder.Jail authorities said they are planning more such events based on the requests received by them from the convicts.<br /><br />“The convicts wanted to go out as they have been lodged in the jail for years and did not have any visitor. So, when on furlough they went for this tour. Depending on the requests, we can organise more such events and tours,” a jail official said.</p>
