In a bid to ensure that inmates feel part of the Durga Puja festivities, correctional home authorities in West Bengal have planned to serve a special menu featuring mutton biryani, ‘basanti pulao’, and other Bengali delicacies during the festival. The initiative aims to bring joy to both convicts and undertrial prisoners during the state’s biggest celebration, an official said on Saturday.
The festive menu will be in effect from Sasthi (October 9) to Dashami (October 12), covering the key days of Durga Puja. “We regularly receive requests from inmates for better food during festivals. This new menu is a step towards making the celebrations special for them. I see this as a positive move toward their rehabilitation,” said a senior official overseeing the program.
The dishes will be prepared by the inmates themselves, who are trained as cooks. The culinary spread includes traditional Bengali favorites like ‘macher matha diye pui shak’ (Malabar spinach with fish head), ‘luchi-cholar dal’ (puri and Bengali chana dal), chicken curry, ‘payesh’ (Bengali porridge), and ‘alu potol chingri’ (shrimp with pointed gourd and potato). Mutton biryani served with ‘raita’ and the beloved ‘basanti pulao’ will also be part of the menu.
However, respecting religious sentiments, non-vegetarian dishes will not be compulsory, and inmates will have the option to choose from a selection of items. “For many Bengalis and others living in the state, Durga Puja is incomplete without fish or meat on the table. We wanted to bring that same festive joy to our inmates by giving them a break from their daily routine,” the official added.
The move has garnered positive feedback within the correctional system. “We hope the initiative will bring smiles to the faces of the inmates and make them feel connected to the festivities outside,” said another official. This change in the menu is part of an ongoing effort to improve conditions for prisoners during special occasions.
Notably, one of Kolkata’s prominent correctional facilities, Presidency Jail, houses high-profile inmates such as former state ministers Partha Chatterjee and Jyoti Priya Mallick, and former R G Kar Medical College principal Sandip Ghosh. While Chatterjee and Mallick are facing corruption-related charges, Ghosh is involved in a case surrounding the rape-murder of a woman doctor and financial irregularities.
West Bengal’s correctional homes currently hold 26,994 male inmates and 1,778 female inmates across 59 facilities. The festive menu will be implemented across all of these correctional homes, bringing a sense of celebration to those behind bars.
“For every major event, we try to create special arrangements for the inmates, and Durga Puja is no exception,” said the official, emphasising the importance of ensuring that the prison population doesn’t feel entirely cut off from the joyous occasion.