This paper was presented at the
National Seminar on
Indian Psychology: Theories and Models
SVYASA, Bangalore,
December 26 - 28, 2007
 

Beyond the prison walls: reforming through silence

Ajit Kumar Bohet & Toolika Wadhwa — CIE, Delhi University, Delhi

As part of jail reforms, Vipassana camps are organized inside the prison walls of Tihar Jail, New Delhi. Being a central jail, Tihar Jail is a host to inmates arrested for crimes ranging from petty theft and robbery to heinous crimes likes rape, murder and the like. The present study was focused upon understanding how experiential meditation in Vipassana helps its heterogeneous group of inmates to attain peace of mind, deal with their emotions related to crime and reconstruct their identities based on hope. A group of research scholars from Central Institute of Education, University of Delhi interacted with the jail inmates in order to understand and document the experiences of practicing inmates. “Beyond the Prison Walls: Reforming through Silence” presents the beliefs, experiences and practices of these inmates.

Email the author, Ms. Toolika Wadhwa, at toolikawadhwa@gmail.com