Department of Prisons to hold more religious events in jails

In a bid to inspire inmates and encourage spiritual growth, the Department of Prisons and Correctional Services has decided to host more religious and cultural events within the state’s jails. This initiative aims to offer moral and spiritual development to inmates, guiding them toward a better life.

As part of this initiative, the Mahashivaratri festival was recently celebrated with great enthusiasm in two jails in Shimla district: the District Jail, Kaihu, and the Model Central Jail, Kanda. Inmates and jail staff took part in religious activities such as Rudrabhishekh, bhajan-kirtan and other rituals, while offering prayers to Lord Shiva.

During the celebrations, Sanjeev Ranjan Ojha, Director General of Prisons, Himachal Pradesh, distributed holy water from the Triveni Sangam, brought from the Prayagraj Kumbh Mela, to all inmates for ritual bathing. He noted that the inmates experienced a sense of spiritual purification through the holy bath, followed by the performance of Rudrabhishekh on the Shiva Lingam situated within the jail. The entire premises resonated with chants of “Har Har Mahadev” and “Har Har Gange,” creating a spiritually charged atmosphere.

Ojha stated, “After the prayers, both inmates and jail staff engaged in a bhajan-kirtan session, singing praises of Lord Shiva. The melodious hymns and chanting of mantras filled the air with a unique spiritual energy.” He added, “Such events not only provide spiritual energy but also inspire inmates to walk on a better path in life.”

Inmates and jail staff expressed their heartfelt gratitude to the Director General of Prisons for providing the holy water from Prayagraj, which made the Mahashivaratri celebrations particularly special.

There are currently 15 jails across the state, housing around 2,880 inmates, including 100 women.