The jail's singers come from among the 1500-odd prisoners, convicts as well as undertrials, who have been pushed behind bars for offences ranging from the heinous to the mundane.

Most of these prisoner-singers and prisoner-musicians knew little about this art when they entered the jail precincts. They acquired the skill only after they landed here.

In fact, introducing music to prisoners has been adopted as a method of reforming them and making good citizens out of them, and an independent singing and music hall had been set up for them for the last three weeks with some instruments purchased from the market. The instruments include saxophone, bongo, veena, drums, tabla, harmoniums, synthesiser and tribal drums, flute and an echo-mixer.

Prisoners desirous of learning singing and playing music are taught the art by Soma Magan, a convict who learnt the art from other prisoners who are now out of jail. The earlier inmates were trained by State Reserve Police Force personnel who had set up a full band of 12 prisoners inside the jail.

``I learnt playing Rashtrageet music in the jail itself'', says convict Mohanbhai Parsinhbhai Rathwa, who is serving a life term for murder. He also plays the tribal flute which he made in the jail. ``I get mental peace'', was his answer when asked why he did it. ``Many prisoners want to learn it and I am providing training to them'', he says.

Another prisoner, Kantibhai, is happy to get an opportunity to learn singing Hindi songs because he can utilise his art when he is out. ``My brother-in-law runs a band party and I can get a job with him once I complete my term'', Kantibhai says, adding that ``it will improve my life''.

Even jail sweeper Vijay has learnt to sing ghazals and the cook is a good synthesiser player. The Tamilian Bhaskar Rajan sings the ghazal `Char din ki mahima' with the ease of a Hindi-speaker. Bharat Kumar Shriram sings Rajasthani folk songs.

What is the purpose behind setting up music facilities or the cultural programme cell for the prisoners? Jail superintendent Ramnivas Meena, who set up the new cell, says:``Music has the power to relieve people of their sorrows, grief and mental depression, and can be a good medium to reform prisoners by inculcating good `sanskars' and `sanskriti' among them''.

Earlier, only bhajans and kirtans (religious hymns) sessions were held in the jail for reforming the inmates. As this was found to be inadequate, cultural programmes that also served the purpose of entertainment were added to it. ``More and more prisoners are expressing their desire to learn music and singing'', says Meena, adding that he is determined to set up a full-fledged orchestra party of prisoners.

Meena wants philanthropists to gift musical instruments and television sets for the entertainment of prisoners. A total of 50 TV sets are required for 48 jail cells. The Faculty of Music, M S University, has already agreed to repair the musical instruments free of cost whenever their mending is required. Meena has also approached the Vadodara Municipal Corporation authorities for sponsoring a song and music programme of jail inmates.

All India Radio has also consented to record the cultural programme of the inmates and broadcast it in this region.