PATIALA – Starting with a robust rendition of the soulful and peppy beats of a Gurdas Mann hit, Apna Punjab hove, on dhol disturbs the early morning calm. Hardeep Singh and Gagan Deep (names changed) are in full form as they throw their hands in the air and accompanied by 12 more roommates, dancing to the popular beats. The large room in which they are jammed has vertical iron grills and their audience is dressed in khaki.
This is now the everyday routine at the Central Jail, Patiala, where bhangra beats have been helping the old and the not so old to start their day on a rather vigorous note. Inmates of 14 barracks of the jail participate one after the other in this dance feat.
In news in the recent past, numerous jails of Punjab are considered as a place where a majority of the inmates are drug addicts. This has forced the jail authorities to think differently to ensure that inmates voluntarily give up drugs. The dhol session is one such step in this regard.
“The idea is to keep the inmates mentally and physically fit. There is nothing more relaxing in the morning than to start your day on foot-tapping bhangra numbers,” claimed Additional Jail Superintendent Rajan Kapoor. “There are two sessions in the day, one early morning almost a little after the wakeup call and the second is in the late afternoon, just before the outdoor activity time,” he stated.
Talking to The Tribune, an inmate said he had never danced in his entire life as he entered the world of crime early. “It is relaxing and helps me forget the trouble I am in due to my crime record,” he added.
The result of the exercise has been amazing. With an inmate trained on dhol, the inmates have formed a bhangra troupe that performs for the visiting VIPs. “There are nine men in the team and their performance can leave anyone spellbound,” Kapoor said.
Punjab DGP (Jails) Shashi Kant said dancing was one form of relaxation and it might help inmates get rid of drug abuse. “This model can be replicated in other Punjab jails,” he added.
