Jail inmates all praise for yoga

KANPUR: As many as 100 inmates of Etawah district jail danced to the tunes of folk songs, on the concluding day of the week-long sessions of yoga and meditation organised by the Art of Living here on Monday.
Moments came when the jail inmates went out of control and filled the atmosphere with the whistles and claps while the other inmates performed.
About 100 inmates of Etawah district jail participated in the hour-long meditation course organised by the Art of Living volunteers with the help of Etawah district Jail authorities.The jail premises reverberated with the beats of `Alhaas' and `Birhaas'.
"It gave me some lighter moments," shared Vinod Gurjar, who is accused of murdering the jailer of Meerut jail. "I used to stay aloof in the jail. But after attending this yoga session, I feel it has transformed me into a much better person," he said.
Ram Babu, another murder accused, said, "I was not aware of such positive things till now. But now I know the importance of yoga and meditation in my life."
"Such kind of sessions could help prisoners realise their mistakes and help them become better human beings," said Laxmi Pati Verma, a teacher of the Art of Living, who gave yoga and meditation lessons to the inmates.
Superintendent of Etawah district Jail SC Rai said, "We would try to organise more such sessions for the inmates. And, no doubt such kind of activities will only help them lead a positive life once they are out of jail."