Other States - Orissa   

Women prisoners perform ‘Savitri puja’

BERHAMPUR: The hard life and restrains of the jail could not prevent the women prisoners of Orissa jails to observe a day of penance for their husbands on Tuesday.

With the help of jail authorities these women observed ‘Savitri Vrat’ inside the jail premises. This vrat is performed for the long life of husbands by the women of Orissa. As per them on this day Savitri had faced the god of death Yama to get back life of her husband, Satyaban. Eighteen married women prisoners performed this vrat inside the Berhampur circle jail. According to jailer of this prison Subash Chandra Bisoi, the jail authorities had arranged the new clothes and other items for the inmates which are needed for the rituals of this vrat. Under tight security the women prisoners performed the rituals at the temple inside the jail premises.

There were married women like S.Pradhan who is serving life sentence in relation to a murder case. But she did not forget to observe this vrat for the long life of her husband.

According to Mr. Bisoi such rituals help in pacifying the mind of women prisoners living in cloistered atmosphere. “These rituals keep them attached to their families which is a major catalyst for mental changes in these women which would prevent them repeating crimes after they get released from prison”, said Mr. Bisoi.

Husbands of some women prisoners turned up to meet their imprisoned wives on this special day as usually the wives observing this vrat break their fast only after taking food from the hands of their husbands.

But there were many whose husbands did not turn up. Reports of ‘Savitri vrat’ being observed by married women prisoners have also come up from jails in Puri, Balasore, Cuttack and Bhubaneswar.

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