Mumbai: The Byculla Women’s Jail will be celebrating International Women’s Day on Friday. A 37-year-old Bharatanatyam dancer who is among the inmates, has been training 25 of her fellow inmates and 15 of them will stage a performance to mark the occasion.
The danseuse, who holds an MCom from Mumbai University, has completed her Visharad Master’s in Bharatanatyam from the Bharatiya Sangeet Samiti in the western suburbs. Earlier, she would be depressed, sitting alone in a corner in her barrack all day. Usually, every prisoner is asked about their life skills, to help keep them busy in jail.
“When we asked about her passion, she would get upset, thinking about the crime she had been booked for. But as time passed, we gained her trust and she told us about her past life as a dance teacher. We then motivated her to teach her skills to her fellow prisoners. After thinking about our suggestion, she agreed. In the beginning, only two to five women were interested, but later, around 25 women began to show interest in her class,” said a police officer from Byculla jail.
Her efforts were successful and her group performed for the first time on January 12, 2019, at a ‘Gala Bhet’ programme for women prisoners meeting their children. “For almost four months, they practised in the passage between the barracks. They were dressed in white kurtas, red leggings and red dupattas, looking different.
During the get-together, many kids were happy as they met their mothers on the dance floor. It made them forget their mothers were in jail and instead, portrayed a positive image,” said Aruna Mugutrao, superintendent of police, Byculla Women’s Jail. For this performance too, every afternoon, the inmates practised for at least three hours, as this is the time when all the inmates are in their respective barracks.
“Around 25 women have been trained for this show and 15 of them will perform on Women’s Day. We have a special programme, which includes dance, drawing and rangoli competitions. Also, a non-government organisation will join the programme and distribute soaps, napkins, oil and other daily use items to the inmates.
There will be a group performing western dance. Also, a group of students from South Mumbai will present a street play on ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ to create awareness among the women inmates,” added Mugutrao. Byculla Jail is a holding spot for undertrials. It currently has 428 women prisoners and 24 kids. Most women serve terms ranging from a month to six years.
“Our aim is to keep the inmate occupied and at the same time, ensure they are not stressed by the life within. Keeping them busy will keep them free from depression. When they get irritated, fights break out, which results in mental disturbance and disputes,” observed a police officer.