Ram temple fever has gripped not just the outside world but also the prisoners of Uttar Pradesh where the inmates are eagerly awaiting the 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony in Ayodhya on January 22 as it will be shown to them live inside their barracks.

The inmates are busy preparing various items which are being sent for the ceremony. 'Katha' (recitals) and 'bhajans' have also been organised for the jail inmates on the occasion, jail officials said.

Asked about the arrangements to telecast the ceremony inside the jails, Uttar Pradesh Prison Minister Dharmveer Prajapati told PTI, "We are making arrangements inside the prisons to show the ceremony live to the inmates." "Not everyone inside the jail is a hardcore criminal. The prisoners are very much keen to watch the ceremony live," he added.

Additional Director General (ADG), Prison, SN Sabat, said, "We already have the required infrastructure such as LED TVs in the barracks. It will also be a spiritual experience for them which might help them shun crime when they are out of the jail." He said the jail inmates are preparing several items which will be sent as offerings for the Ram temple consecration.

Carpets with Ram temple designs and hanging carpets from the Bhadohi jail have already been sent to Ayodhya on Thursday. The inmates were provided all the necessary materials by the district administration, the ADG said.

In the Raebareli jail, 11,000 diyas have been made by the prisoners. The diyas will be lit in the jail and other government offices of the district on the day of consecration ceremony in Ayodhya, he said.

Similarly, 1,000 LED bulbs have been made in Noida jail. The prisoners of district jail Mainpuri have made Ram temple and 'Ram darbar' in Tarkashi art.

Inmates of Saharanpur jail have made wooden models of the Ram temple, while those in Fatehpur have made bags with Lord Ram's name and temple printed on them. The inmates of Pilibhit and Azamgarh have also made diyas, the officer added.

A three-day 'Sriram Katha' was organised at the Chitrakoot jail on Wednesday in which the prisoners were encouraged to engage themselves in noble work. The prisoners took the pledge to quit crime after being released from the jail, Chitrakoot jail officials said.

Inmates of Ayodhya jail are organising a 'katha'. Both the listeners and those narrating 'katha' are prisoners. They were provided harmonium and musical instruments to conduct the session.

The officials said the 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony is serving as a dual opportunity for the prisoners. On one hand they are engaged in spirituality and on the other, they are also getting a chance to showcase their skills by making offerings for Lord Ram.

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