Prisoners and Jailers Dance Together

Every year for Janmastami we have a big program in Agra Central Jail with very enthusiastic participation from the prisoners who make Krishna Lila dioramas. Unfortunately this year there was civil unrest in Agra do to rioting by a certain community and there was curfew. But several days later after things were peaceful, the superintendent of the Jail invited us for doing a wonderful program.

So on 12th September, the devotees headed by Jankinatha Prabhu, our Prison Preaching in charge, went to Agra Central Jail. His Holiness Radha Govinda Maharaja was the guest of honor accompanied by His Holiness Radharaman Maharaja and our Vrindavan co-President, Srestha Prabhu. Somehow Jankinatha also convinced Aindra Prabhu and his kirtana party to come, although he hardly goes anywhere outside of Braja.

When the devotees arrived, the Chief Jailer and five Deputy Jailers were standing outside the gates with garlands to greet the devotees. From behind the gates, we could hear an enthusiastic kirtana being performed by the prisoners themselves. After opening the gates, they were greeted by about 20 prisoners doing kirtana with one playing dholak and another with harmonium strung over his shoulders. Aindra Prabhu was very impressed with the unique village melody they were chanting. All the prisoners were standing with garlands in their hands, anxious to honor the devotees. The kirtana at the gate was so ecstatic that the jailers, prisoners, maharajas, and devotees all began to dance together.

They accompanied the devotees up to the small Sita Ram Mandir run by the prisoners on the prison campus. They also have pictures of Sri Sri Radha-Shyamsundar, Krishna-Balaram, GauraiNitai, and Srila Prabhupada on their altar. They even do guru-puja, kirtana, and Bhagavatam class every day at this temple. Today they requested His Holiness Radha Govinda Maharaja to offer arati.

After arati, they accompanied the devotees to the stage where Maharaja offered a garland to the picture of Srila Prabhupada. Then the two maharajas and Srestha Prabhu took their seats on the asana. Janakinatha Prabhu lead the prisoners in mangala-acaran prayers and meditations as you can see in the photos. His Holiness Radha Govinda Maharaja addressed the prisoners and told them that Vasudeva carried Krishna from the jail and all the doors automatically opened up. In the same way if you will carry Krishna in your heart by chanting His holy name, then what to speak of the bondage of prison life, the bondage of this entire blazing samsara will be opened for you! He told them how they were very fortunate that the ISKCON devotees were coming here to the jail and giving the message of Caitanya Mahaprabhu as imparted by Srila Prabhupada. Then Radharaman Maharaja spoke and Aindra Prabhu also briefly addressed the prisoners, with Hindi translation by Srestha Prabhu.

Aindra Prabhu then lead a tremendous kirtana for forty minutes. Finally the Chief Jailer and five deputy jailers were dancing together with two thousand prisoners. The chanting was so ecstatic that both the Maharajas, Aindra Prabhu, and Srestha Prabhu left the stage and also began to dance along with the prisoners. Everyone was dancing and chanting in ecstasy. Too bad our photographer went somewhere and we don’t have the pictures, you can only see the prison ground as they were just half assembled.

After the kirtana ended, the Chief Jailer Sri S.K. Saxena took the microphone and exclaimed, “Today I have experienced beyond ananda, nay, beyond parmananda, nay, even beyond that! I have never in my whole life had such a wonderful program."

The devotees then distributed burn-your-finger hot halevah to the two thousand prisoners who were very eagerly taking the prasadam that was sponsored by Srestha Prabhu. No one could believe that this was all happening in jail.

Even five local TV reporters came to cover the program along with all the other media. So it got quite a bit of coverage and people were able to see Srila Prabhupada’s preaching going on in the jail.

Prison Preaching Ki Jaya!
Srila Prabhupada Ki Jaya!

In service of Srimati Vrinda Devi,
Deena Bandhu dasa