Essay on “An Imaginary Visit to a Prison” Complete Essay, Paragraph, Speech for Class 10, Class 12 and Graduation and other classes.

An Imaginary Visit to a Prison

Outline: Situation — history — my first impression — the director — a senior prison guard took me round the prison — history of the prisoners — the work – shop of the prisoners — if a prisoner escaped, what would be the result? — another part of the prison – dangerous criminals  the women in the prison.

Atop one of the foothills of Western Ghats, high above the town bathed in sunlight, stands a white building with a tower. It is the Crawford Prisons, and it once had an evil name.

My friends, who had visited the prison during the British regime, told me that in th6se days its cells were underground and wet. They also told me that in those days the political prisoners were chained to the walls, underfed, without proper clothing. These prisoners died slowly, without consolation, and stank to high heaven

The English name of the prison and its story drew me up the hill, which I climbed in short stages of thirty paces at a time. Outside the prison, propped against the building, were four smart sentries. They rested their hands on the barrels of their guns

I went to see the Director of the prison and asked permission to visit the jail. The Director was athletic, of good bearing and very gentlemanly. His clothes were simple.

A senior prison guard took me round the place. We passed two heavy gates, went through a long tunnel, turned to the right, and entered one of the cell blocks in the star – shaped building. I was told by the guard that the population in the prison was a hundred men, and twenty women. Most of them were there for crimes of passion. There was a sentry outside the cells, pacing up and down, the gun over his shoulder

We crossed a wide square and entered a house filled with the smell of roses from the prison yard. The windows were high and without bars. The prisoners stood up as the guard and I came in; their faces remained at ease. Shoes were made here and some furniture, small trunks lined with paper on which flower designs were printed. In another part of the room men were\ carving small articles out of teak wood. Some of the men smoked, some rested, all smiled as the guard spoke to them and introduced me. They all very proudly showed their work. The guard stopped and spoke to several men and told me what crime they had committed. Some of the men asked him questions, and he answered with interest, thinking a while before he spoke. He bowed and smiled when he had finished with them. (Later he told his assistant to note several things the men requested.)

“Does anyone ever escape from here?” I inquired. “Yes, sometimes”, said the guard. “Here, right here, is where they escape.” He pointed to the roof of the cell block that was nearest to the hill. To clear a wall that is eighteen feet high, a man had to run and then jump out and down a distance of thirty – four feet. He would land in a thicket of cacti on the other side of the fence. I asked the guard how they punished the men when they caught them. “Oh, we lock them up in a dungeon, with bread and water and no light, for a week, two weeks, a month.” However, he added. “I do not believe in that I do not believe in vengeance.”

Then the guard took me to another part of the jail. “Here we keep the men and women who have killed some – body. We tell them to forget it and work. I know each prisoner here. I hope they all like us as much as we like them.” And he added, “Only a very few of them have to undergo death penalty …very few dangerous ones.” I was also told that all prisoners received wages, as per the wages that would be paid if the person worked outside.

Most of the women lived in a prison within the prison. Here there were more flowers, three pipal trees and clouds of linen hanging over them. Most of them had stabbed cheating lovers and some of them had done away with their babies. They spent their days washing and ironing clothes and making flour. The little cells were orderly and all the women were smiling we then said good – byes and walked back to the reception – room.

Difficult Words: Regime government (fr). consolation – help or comfort in sorrow. stank – smelled very badly. propped – supported. sentries – soldiers on guard. athletic – like a man who has well – trained body and who is good at – outdoor games. cacti – plants with thick leaves having on them many needle – like prickles. dungeon – underground room. vengeance – revenge