Prisoners of all faiths celebrate Rath Yatra festival inside Presidency jail in Kolkata
India Today
Thousands of inmates of Presidency jail celebrated Rath Yatra, the chariot festival, on Friday. Idols of lord Jagannath, lord Balaram and goddess Subhadra were placed on the chariot during the procession.
Almost 1000 jail inmates of Presidency correctional home in West Bengal took part in the Rath Yatra festival on Friday. Inmates of all faiths gathered to celebrate the festival. The procession started from Sri Aurobindo Cell inside the jail and stopped in front of a recreation club.
The prisoners dragged the ropes of the Rath through all the wards and cells of the correctional home.
Preparations for the Rath Yatra began several weeks ago. According to sources, several inmates got together and cut the wood to make the Rath themselves.
On Friday morning, the whole Rath was decorated with flowers. Idols of lord Jagannath, lord Balaram and goddess Subhadra were placed on the chariot during the procession.
Currently, there are more than 2,500 prisoners in the Presidency correctional home in Kolkata. Almost a thousand of them joined the procession today, claimed sources.
According to jail sources, the inmates were seen bowing by touching the holy rope of lord Jagannath's rath in front of their wards. According to sources, Rose valley Chitfund owner Gautam Kundu who is in judicial custody in the chitfund case, Debanjan Dev, the prime accused in fake vaccine case, and Md Jamaluddin Nasir who is in jail in Khadim kidnapping case were seen standing in front of Rath Yatra.
Jilapi, papad and other snacks were arranged inside the jail as part of the festivities. All were prepared inside the jail canteen and were distributed among jail inmates.
