From mutton biryani to basanti polao and payesh, Bengal’s prisons serve festive flavours to inmates during Durga Puja

“During festivities, including Durga Puja, inmates write appeals to the respective jail authorities for a change of menu and good food. From Sasthi to Dashami, the jail authorities try and make the diet more interesting for convicts and undertrials,” the official added.

Usually, prison inmates in West Bengal have a vegetarian diet for four days of the week, while egg, meat and fish-based dishes are available on the rest of the days.

Planning ahead

A senior official at the Barrackpore Special Correctional Home said some jails organise small Durga Pujas, while others do not. “But all correctional homes, including central ones and those in the districts, try and bring some change in the menu. This is done by saving a small portion of the inmates’ food budget for a few months ahead of the festive season so that no extra cost is incurred,” the official said.

At Presidency Central Jail, the special items on the menu included Sukto (Bengali curry crafted from an assortment of vegetables), moong dal macher matha diye (moong dal with fish head), rui macher jhal for lunch, chicken kasha and alur dam for dinner on Saptami.

“On all festive days, we have separate non-vegetarian and vegetarian menus for everyone to choose from. Vegetarian menus have items like matar paneer and paneer biryani,” said a senior officer at Presidency Jail. On Ashtami, the menu is fully vegetarian, including delicacies like luchi alur dam, mixed veg, chana masala, and payesh.

On Navami, Presidency Jail specials include masur dal, katla macher kalia, macher matha diye bandhakopi, and ice cream. Dinner comprises mutton biryani, masala ghol, and salad.

Come Dashami, and the menu will switch up to veg chowmein, patal chingri (Bengali shrimp with pointed gourd and potato), fried rice, and chicken kosha, besides sweets.

‘Many inmates are experienced chefs’

At the Barrackpore Special Correctional Home, which has over 400 inmates, the Mahasasthi special menu included chicken biryani and salad for lunch, rice dal and alu patal chingri for dinner. Mahasaptami specialities included luchi cholar dal (deep-fried Bengali puffed bread with chana dal) and jalebi. Lunch was fish curry while dinner comprised macher matha diye dal, rice, and vegetables.

The Asthami menu had kichuri (salty porridge), labra (spinach with assorted vegetables) for lunch, and paneer for dinner. For Navami, the specials include chole bhature for breakfast, basanti polao (a sweet ghee-laden Bengali yellow pulao with cashew nuts and raisins), and chicken curry.

For Dashami, there will be poha for breakfast, mutton biryani and raita for lunch, and fish curry, sweets, and rice for dinner.

“The inmates who are on cooking detail, and work as cooks and helpers in the jail canteen, prepare the delicacies. Many inmates have experience as chefs and are great cooks,” added a senior jail officer at the Hooghly District Correctional Home, which has around 467 inmates.

Hooghly jail offered patal chingri on Sasthi, macher matha diye bandhakopi and katla kalia for lunch on Saptami, and chilly chicken for dinner. Navami will see basanti polao and mutton kosha on the menu. Besides, chatni, vegetables, dal, and sweets are there on most festive days.

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