Aruna Sareen’s great service in reforming the prison inmates in Madhya Pradesh
“Sareen Ma kab aayengi? Samay to ho gaya he,” the patiently waiting prisoners murmur to each other in the hall packed with prison inmates at the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Central Jail, Jabalpur. Isn’t this unbelievable? If prison inmates are to collectively address someone as ‘Ma’, then she has got to be so loving and caring and must be showering her unconditional motherly love on them.
“Just like people go to temples every day, I go to jail,” says the 78-year-old Aruna Sareen.
Aruna Sareen, a retired principal of a central school in Madhya Pradesh, dedicatedly spends two hours with the prison inmates every day. These inmates include juveniles, women, or men. She organizes various activities for the inmates like a yoga session or the skills training program. She shares inspirational stories with the prisoners and conducts The Art of Living Prison Program.
When and how did she begin this ritual?
In 2001, Colonel Sareen, her husband, as a volunteer of The Art of Living, had identified that the Prison Program being conducted by The Art of Living for the prison inmates was greatly benefiting the prisoners. They were being transformed through yoga, pranayamas and Sudarshan Kriya revealed in this program. He wanted to organize this program for the inmates of the Jabalpur jail too. Aruna started devoting time to this project in 2002. It is common for a woman to pursue the role of a principal but not so common for her to be a prison reform expert. She shouldered this responsibility of the prison project while being a mother of two children and now a grandmother to a granddaughter.
It hasn’t been all smooth for Aruna as life has dealt her some cruel blows. Her ailing daughter-in-law was emotionally supported by Aruna when she was undergoing blood cancer treatment. I remember how well she looked after her granddaughter. I had the opportunity to work with her. The immense positive effects of bringing her granddaughter to satsangs and exposing her to various learning faculties have reaped wonders. Aruna’s granddaughter, Agrima was a black belt in the Taekwondo championship at the age of 4 years. She is a classical dancer, a swimmer, a yoga expert with a flexible body, an origami expert and an orator. She makes clay jewelry, rakhi and clay idols. And, all these while excelling in her studies. She is indeed an inspiration for other children.
Waves of love flowing to other towns of Madhya Pradesh
For a lady to travel in alien towns amidst a load of household responsibilities is no joke. In association with jail authorities, her work began in several prisons of Madhya Pradesh including Jabalpur, Bhopal, Chhatarpur, Gwalior, Hivani, Hoshangabad, Indore, Mandala, Narsinghpur, Satna, Sagar, Katni, Ujjain and Vidhisha.
“Once when I was in the market, a person came to me and asked if I recognized him. I didn't. He then expressed, “What Ma, you don't recognize me. I was your student in Jabalpur prison.” I was amazed to see him there selling fruits.” Aruna was in awe while she shared this incident with me.
“When prisoners are released, they come out guilt-free, with the realization that they have committed an irreparable mistake,” says Mrs. Sareen. She further says, “They step out of the prison as a reformed person but face the same circumstances that drove them to crimes. The aim of the program with the assistance of volunteers is to help them win over these circumstances and overcome them."
The commitment of Aruna Sareen
Aruna’s commitment and devotion to seva are commendable. Isn’t it her devotion that urged her to resign from the prestigious post of the principal of Kendriya Vidyalaya to give full time to reform prison inmates? She is always there to bring smiles to the inmates above and beyond the call of family responsibilities. She smilingly admits, “Their smiles give me my purpose in life.”
I have experienced the orderliness and strictness in jail and their management. On being asked about the struggles she had in organizing the Prison Programs, Aruna says with humility, “Those people who are not regular in doing seva in jail may face problems from the management. I never faced such problems.” She laughs with satisfaction when she says, “Just like people go to temples every day, I go to jail.”
Aruna’s struggle and impact in the male prison
There are about 4,000 inmates of different ages in the Jabalpur prison and different programs are conducted for them according to their age.
“I faced challenges only to organize the Advance Meditation Program (AMP) as it involves silence. All inmate participants of AMP shared the same barracks with non-participants. The arrangement of separate barracks for participants was not possible due to security reasons. Unknowingly, the silence of participants would be broken during the nights when they went back to their barracks. Still, they had beautiful experiences of peace and calmness.”
Being an Art of Living teacher myself, I can understand that the inmates would have had a wonderful experience after meditation, as Aruna herself is a regular meditator and lives the wisdom she preaches.
Usually, in a month, four Prison Programs are conducted. The inmates also benefited from Youth Leadership Training Program (YLTP) and Dynamism for Self & Nation program (DSN). Two Yogathon challenges were held in the prison in which 300 prisoners completed the 108 Surya namaskars challenge, each time. An event like this builds focus while improving both physical and mental health. It also gives the prison inmates a purpose and a sense of personal achievement. The birthdays of inmates are celebrated with tree plantations. Drug de-addiction center in the prison premises works actively. The effect of Sudarshan Kriya is so profound that addicts deposited their addiction substance pouches and made a promise never to touch them again. Most of them were successful in keeping up their promises.
An ex-inmate from Katni started a yoga center being encouraged by the knowledge he received during the Prison Program and Sareen Ma’s trust in her students.
Anand, from Narsinghpur, was working as a driver when he got deceitfully trapped in a drug case. He is now released and working as a Recovery Agent in a bank.
Amar has become a good tailor in Jabalpur now.
Many inmates who have been released have learned to earn their own bread. They are working as a guard, auto-driver, fruit-vegetable seller, farmer, milkman, sculptor, (in Bhedaghat, Jabalpur) or run a tea-stall or milk booth.
It is interesting to note some inmates had an old family rivalry. On practicing Sudarshan Kriya regularly, they forgave those family members and now live peacefully.
Raju was a drug trafficker. Aruna decided to take him along to the de-addiction center of the prison. On witnessing the plight and pain of the addicts due to withdrawal symptoms, Raju transformed. He made up his mind to never get involved in drugs.
Deepak Dadhi started an orchestra. He travels to towns and celebrates his freedom with music.
Jawahar, the husband of a sarpanch, was trapped in a political rivalry. With resentment, he would share, “I will kill the person who trapped me in a false case!” Aruna says, “After doing the Prison Program, Jawahar started blessing the wrong-doer on my insistence.” Later the wrong-doer came to meet Jawahar and sought his forgiveness.
For five years, a young boy who had the habit of looting big shops and people has now taken up a decent job in the town.
Aruna empowered women in the female prison
SKILLS TRAINING PROGRAM IN MADHYA PRADESH JAILS
Female Inmates | Male Inmates |
Making pearl jewelry Fruit preservation Applying designer mehndi Beautician course Baking course Tailoring course Yoga | Tractor repairing Electrical repairing Labor supervising course T.V. repairing Yoga Idol making |
Aruna boosts confidence in disabled prisoners
Aruna helped procure certificates for about 100 disabled prisoners to help them avail schemes when released. She was able to connect an inmate's need with an interested donor. Aruna was also able to provide prosthetic limbs to more than 20 inmates.
Aruna’s magic in Juvenile Homes
Juvenile Programs are also being offered in ‘Bal Sudhar Ghruh’ i.e. Juvenile Delinquent Homes in Sagar, Seoni (सिवनी), Chhattarpur and Jabalpur. Three thousand children have been reached through the program. Aruna pinpoints that juvenile homes need to be developed so that the adolescents who have come on the right track don't fall prey to rich inmates.
Aruna expresses with concern for juveniles, “Chakravyuh of crime takes away life from these children. Children don’t understand the depth of the wrong done by them in agitation and bad influence.”
“The built-up area is quite less than the requirement. Children who have to stay with the other men prove to be a deterrent for the permanency in their rehabilitation,” she adds. Her understanding of these children is so profound when she shares, “Children do not get the right guidance and sympathy when it is their first time. If they happen to get released from prison, acceptability in their family and society is negligible, which pushes the adolescent to decide negatively.”
Youth Empowerment Seminar (YES+) boosts the adolescents, where the addicts themselves decide to give up their addiction. Aruna intends to conduct an Intuition program in the Juvenile homes so that they can blossom in the ‘NOW’.
The wonderful impact of Valmiki - Angulimal story
Aruna is reminded of one more way of transforming the inmates, which is through inspiring stories. “Delivering the stories of Valmiki and Angulimal influences the inmates in reforming them. They listen to these stories with a lot of interest. The expressions on their faces are worth observing. Their facial expressions soften with their melting hearts,” she shares.
The power of Agnihotra spreads among inmates
Aruna has left no stone unturned. She adds, “We organized a proper Agnihotra session for the inmates to learn. Some of them perform this havana every day at dawn and dusk. The chants of Agnihotra devoted to Lord Surya ignite piousness in the prison atmosphere.”
Volunteers and The Art of Living Teachers enjoy working with Aruna
When people participate in the Art of Living Happiness Program, they learn about the service initiatives, and more often than not, stretch their hands and contribute. All projects are community welfare projects with people from all walks of life participating. Bhramanand, a lawyer by profession and his sister Apoorvi assist in her Prison Programs, says Aruna.
In 15 years, she has seen community members associate with the program and contribute in several ways. “When delinquents were released from homes, Brahmanand would ensure that they go to school.” If the cycle of the crime breaks, then doors to other opportunities will open for the released inmates.
Aruna is grateful to The Art of Living teachers who willingly agreed to conduct a few programs in prison. She recalls, “Whenever I invited Prayagji, Prabhaji, Sunilaji and others for conducting a program or for seva, they come here with enthusiasm. The inmates like to interact with and learn from them.”
Aruna appreciates the initiative of the Government
To rehabilitate the inmates serving life imprisonment, who show good behavior, the government has started the Open Jail scheme. They are allowed to work in the prison premises (from 6 am to 6 pm) at various officers’ residences or other places to earn their living. They live with their wife and children on the prison premises. This brings completeness in their lives despite being a prisoner. She adds, “Otherwise so many lives would have been disturbed.”
Aruna is a true leader
“Good leaders are the ones who bring enthusiasm, happiness, energy, and encourage others to move ahead.” Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.
Aruna Sareen has taught her students to lead follow-up in each barrack in her absence. Some of her well-trained student inmates conduct pranayamas and yoga. They are effective in their delivery of instructions and other inmates follow them.
Aruna helps the prison guards
These training programs are not limited to prisoners. The prison guards too benefit from Aruna’s visits. Do you want to know how? She gives classes during their training period. With improvement in the Indian education system, these guards (both male and female) are well educated. But they have resentment of working here. With Aruna’s presence and her teachings of wisdom, pranayama and yoga, the guards are now preparing for a hike or better job with a peaceful state of mind. Else, they used to fight now and then with each other.
Aruna’s dedication is appreciated by Jail Authorities
Usha Raj, welfare officer, (now Jail Superintendent) Jabalpur Jail, who highly values the work done by The Art of Living, says, “Earlier prisoners who leave on parole would not return. After the Prison Program, prisoners are reporting themselves.” The dawn of honesty and trust in the system has come with the motherly love of Aruna.
The health issues like Tuberculous and Addictions have reduced considerably inside prison after the regular practice of breathing techniques by inmates. Aruna Sareen has touched the lives of more than 50,000 inmates in Madhya Pradesh. More than 8,00,000 inmates benefited from Prison programs all over the world.
She accepts all the non-acceptances of society with a smile and open heart. She believes, “Some karmas might be left unbalanced, so it is fine. They are doing their karma. I am doing mine - seva for inmates".
Aruna always performs Guru Puja during the programs and the follow-up sessions. She explains, “The chants of Guru puja smoothen the roughness of violence within you. Thus you feel closer to the Divine. We get nearer to the space of compassion and higher levels of consciousness.”
Aruna Sareen dedicates her Seva to the Divine, “I do not feel I am doing anything challenging. It is my way of life as long as my health is in my favor."
