Sunday, March 16, 2008

The Doomed Dorms

Speaking with Deepa is like digging up a treasure cove. Enticing stories, vivid perceptions and killer ideas come twittering out of the conversation like a swarm of butterflies throwing a riot of colours around.
The colours that came out and about this time, were, however, DARK as Deeps shared with me an account of her first visit (for work) to a women's jail.
Here's what she scribbled:

A deathly silence greets at the heavy concrete high walled prison in Meerut. Inside, the wind ruffles the quiet tree, the cold walls stare with bleak eyes, the peeled plaster bares grim realities, even as a lone squirrel strives to climb up the tender branches of a new plant. A stony, eerie claustrophobia grips in the dark, icy room. The chirping of the birds in the afternoon sun is a dull monotony that rises to a crescendo in a deafening, bone chilling rhythm. And yet, pink flowers blossom on a peach tree. Hope springs amidst gloom and fear...

And then, a small question (to someone else) from the restless question princess that resides in Reety Skeety led to the reaffirmation in her belief against taking up Law as a profession after spending three years studying the subject: Wrongly denying justice to someone brings in doom to that party and those around them. And to you, it brings upon the burden of having done a wrong which is even grave and unpardonable, if not in human eyes, then in the eyes of the greater force that rules the cosmos.
Anyway, these were the questions asked by Skeety and the answers that followed -
Q: A day (wrapped up) in jail is like:
A: A normal day where people get up ...use the dirty smelly washrooms cum kitchens, read newspapers ...play cards..excercise...make small talk...think...cook....have lunch n dinner ...joke around etc.. and finally sleep off.
Q: Is it the same as shown in flicks?
A: Flicks have it dramatised. Its more real. But yes...societies do exist there.
May justice deliver the innocent.

25 comments:

Ankur Arora said...

The thought of visiting a jail is scary! Only yesterday, I saw this sequence from the movie Sangharsh, where Priety Zinta visits the jail to meet Akshay Kumar. Though it was over-dramatised, but I could relate that to this post here.

As for the burden of doing wrong being an advocate of justice...must be too heavy to bear!

Anonymous said...

the actually situation in jail is quite horrible.......its overstuffed like anything and not much is done on basic sanitation and all barring few big jails....
good post it is.......

freesherry said...

hmmm.. visiting a jail.. intriguing

ceedy said...

wow....I havent visited a jail - but designed an extension to halfway house here in the US - its a place where drug addicts who are petty criminals are kept under surveillance for rehab...

and it is errie - they have dogs the size of tigers lurking around, these guys look like walking zombies, cases of male rape are predominant - so security around us at all times even if you have to go to the bathroom - as someone might come to you and ask you to get smg....from somewhere...

feel sorry for them as their minds have lost the sense between right and wrong....

crasiezt said...

Serious post from you! But well written.

I've been to a jail once *No, I did not murder anyone, it was a field trip*. It was huge and spacious actually. And the food looked better than the crap I eat at work!

All was well until we were about to leave. It was visiting time, and so the prisoners' relatives and friends had come over. It was painful to watch them...crying, laughing and talking at the same time, trying to touch each other and failing...

Gonecase aka. Shutter Singh said...

Very well written !!

Lakshmi said...

a visit to a jail...good post..talk about ironies of life !!

Friendly nextdoor guy said...

good one!!

gypsy said...

I came to knew an old social work working in jails ...from Tihar with Kiran Bedi to jails in Shimla...it's a tough part but then we learn lessons there....

dRoZzY!!! said...

itni bhi buri jagah nahi hoti jail!
its home to the inhuman...
why dont you pull up a post about lock-ups instead. i'd be able to contribute better.

AlterinG Abhishek said...

@ shown in the flicks:

are movies inspired by real world or is real world inspired by movies?

Reeta Skeeter said...

Ankur: hmm...I think I've seen that movie...
indeed it is heavy...i've seen that happening. SAD.
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deeps: hmm haven't been to one yet... these are accounts of people I could speak to...
thanks :)
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freesherry: I didn't visit one...
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ceedy: hmmm me neither...i am SCARED of dogs... eeeew
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crasiezt: :) kyun bhai ki ho gaya serious likh ditta te?
oops hmmm...i would like to visit one someday...not for a stay though...
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gonecase: thanks :)
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backpakker: hmm
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friendly next door guy: thanks :) welcome here...
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d sinner: hmmmm. i see...
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dRoZzY: acha hmmm...i will visit one someday... not for a stay though... then will invite you to contribute here :)
cheers!
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AA: Movies are inspired by real world me says :)

I am said...

the part with the Squirrel was funny till it compared with a Jail..:(
errie...

The Keeper of the Keys said...

beautiful...i esp liked the pic...
law...hmmmm...glad i know you.. ;)

anyway, my mom has visited a women's jail once and she was invited to hold classes there, but she refused coz she said she didn't have the courage to go there everyday or even once a week. glad *somebody* has courage. maybe i will, too, one day.

dharmabum said...

its a tricky thing, what they call justice

Nishant Chandgotia said...

Never talked to a prisoner..just seen couple of jails up close very horrible...curious curious...nice post...

Ramit Singal said...

I've visited a jail. Tihar, to be precise. And it didn't seem as bad as people make them out to be. But then again, you have to be a prisoner to know for real.

But most people really do seem to be fine being cooped up. Probably the biggest problem they face is that of sanitation and hygiene(from what I figured).

You could call this lack of freedom justice, or do what they do in some middle eastern countries - execution. No questions asked.

Reeta Skeeter said...

blotter: eerie indeed.. but it happens around...
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The Keeper of the Keys: thanks ya.. i am yet to visit one too..
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dharmabum: agree!
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Nishant Chandgotia: :) thks
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Ramit Singal: Exactly... you never know what happens there unless yu see if yourself, and may that never befall anyone...

Anonymous said...

The picture fits the mood with a deep, threatening look. Captivating description of jail. WOW.

aandthirtyeights said...

I've been in a lock up. As in, detained by the police. And while I was sure nothing would ever happen to me (because I was only suspected of being a Naxalite with no evidence whatsoever). One thing I learnt - being confined by the state, for whatever time, at whatever place is a n unpleasant experience. And I don't think one can ever get used to the feeling!

unforgiven said...

"A: A normal day where.."

Of course, minus basic respect for humanity with a few interesting gang rapes thrown in?

Also, don't prisons also have some manual labor that they make their prisoners do?

Friendly nextdoor guy said...

may justice deliver the Diversant!!

Anonymous said...

A fascinating account and photo to accompany it.
I have no first hand information, but limited exposure on Lockup has given me a new appreciation of what it means to be incarcerated. And to be wrongly imprisoned is a tragedy.

Chan said...

Hey Skeeter. Sorry not connected to this post, but just dropping in to say hi, how r u?

Reeta Skeeter said...

don: :)
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aandthirtyeighs: hmm
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unforgiven: hmm..they do...
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friendlynextdoorguy: well said :)
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Chan: :) good! and good to see you here as always...
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