Lucknow jailbirds orchestrate music

Singing a different tune

They are all part of the band party comprising the prisoners of the Lucknow district jail. Of course, you will never know this unless told, for they are no less than any other top band party in the city. As many as ten prisoners have been selected for the band party and are currently being provided training in various musical instruments at the district jail premises.

“Once they are fully trained, they will be sent to play the band at the wedding ceremonies in the city for a charge of course,” says senior jail superintendent V K Jain.
“We will invite bookings for other functions as well besides wedding ceremonies,” Jain told Deccan Herald.

The jail authorities will provide modern musical instruments to the trained prisoners so that they could give a good performance and satisfy their clients.

“In a bid to give the other established bands a good competition, we will offer heavy discounts to the clients so that we get good number of bookings in the wedding season,” Jain said.

Good record

To start, 10 members will be included in the band, he said. These members will train other prisoners also so that this number may be increased.

Obviously the criterion for selection of the band members is good conduct. “Only prisoners with good record have been included in the team,” he said. There was a band party of prisoners earlier but it fell apart after many prisoners having good character were released on the occasion of Republic Day ten years ago.

The newly formed band party will present its inaugural programme at the annual day function of the state-owned Sugarcance Research Centre in the city on Thursday next.

The members of the band have been preparing hard for the past few days to give a good show and impress the audience, Jain said.

He said that the prisoners, who are undergoing sentences for various offences, get encouragement to bring about an improvement in their behaviours and attitude by such schemes. “Other inmates will feel encouraged to join the band and will try their best to improve their behaviour so that they could be considered for being included in the band party,” he said.

DH News Service