Prison Bazaar: Buy Products made by Prisoners!

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Prison Bazaars sell food items and other products manufactured by prisoners across Tamil Nadu. I went to the Prison Bazaar next to the Puzhal Central prison in Chennai to check out what’s in the offering.

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There is a bakery unit located at the Puzhal prison where prisoners manufacture biscuits, cakes, and other bakery items. Other items like pickles, sweets, puffs, rusk, mixer, other confectioneries, shirts, bed-sheets, rain-coats, etc. are manufactured in prisons across TN and are distributed to  Prison bazaars in Puzhal Prison, IG Prisons office – Egmore & Saidapet Prison (in Chennai).

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Here’s what I had there – One veg. puff & tea. Both were very good 🙂 The person who served me asked me if I knew who was serving him. He was wearing white-and-white, so I sort of guessed, but I said ‘no’. He then told me that prisoners are employed to sell the products to customers in these shops! I asked him what he did to become a prisoner, he blushed and told me ‘bad influence’. I didn’t push to ask him further on this 🙂

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I was half-tempted to buy and eat this cake. But since I had a puff and tea, and was not hungry, I decided against it. I’ve been cursing myself since for not eating it – maybe I should go once again. However, I bought a few other items for home.

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Their products are sold under the ‘Freedom’ brand. Above shown are: Ompodi, coconut mixture, boondhi laddu, rava laddu, peanut biscuit. The taste is good – we almost finished everything. The price is reasonable and lesser than what we get outside. There are two police officers also in the shop – they told me that only fresh stocks are sold.

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It seems people who visit prisoners are allowed to buy these products and give it to inmates inside. Public is allowed (and encouraged) to buy the products as it will support the efforts of the prison administration to make prisoners more productive, and teach them a skill or two which can be useful outside the prison too. So, if you go by these shops, why not buy something from Prison Bazaar and encourage their noble activity?

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28 thoughts on “Prison Bazaar: Buy Products made by Prisoners!

  1. Sakshi Nanda

    I have bought similar products from Tihar Haat, which is a shop in Tihar Jail, New Delhi, that sells similar products. Plants, namkeens, muffins and rugs is what I usually buy. And I don’t care if someone makes a face to say – You eat those made by prisoners?

    1. Rajesh K

      Oh, good to know about Tihar Haat. And who cares who makes it, as long as the product is good and comes at a great price!

      Destination Infinity

  2. Aravind Kumar B

    is their production FSSAI certified.

    1. Rajesh K

      What is that? I have no idea! 🙂

      Destination Infinity

  3. SG

    This is a good way to rehabilitate them. Everyone should encourage this by buying these products.

    1. Rajesh K

      Yes. If not everyone, at least a few who pass by that way could buy… 🙂

      Destination Infinity

  4. Nita

    Never knew prisoners did this! Very interesting.

    1. Rajesh K

      I guess they are made to do it 🙂

      Destination Infinity

  5. Manogna

    In Hyderabad, every year in the month of January we have an exhibition , Numaish, at the heart of the city. Various stalls from all over India have a place here. There is also a Prison Bazaar stall,where blankets, rugs ,towels etc are sold. We bought blankets and bedsheets,no eatables are sold there. I think making the prisoners learn something for their livelihood and selling it is a very good idea.
    The eatables look yummy.

    1. Rajesh K

      Good to know that productive work and learning for the prisoners is happening in other states too.

      Destination Infinity

  6. Neelesh

    Well I never knew about this. We citizens should encourage such efforts because all prisoners are not born criminals. It is our duty to allow them a normal life.

    1. Rajesh K

      Yes, since they learn some skills while working in the prison, it maybe easier for them to adapt to life once they are back to the society.

      Destination Infinity

  7. Ruchira Shukla

    what a fantastic way to rehabilitate prisoners ! Loved reading about it !

    1. Rajesh K

      Yes, it’s a good/productive thing for prison authorities to do.

      Destination Infinity

  8. KP

    A good initiative to train them in new skills,keep them occupied and earn money for jail.
    Good you venture out to these places,not normally visited, to share with readers what you saw.

    1. Rajesh K

      If I know about such places I go. Do let me know if you are aware of such interesting places in/around Chennai.

      Destination Infinity

    1. Rajesh K

      Yes, thanks 🙂

      Destination Infinity

  9. Zephyr

    I loved the brand name the best of all. Freedom is what they must be waiting for, right? I have heard about these shops too, but haven’t got an opportunity to shop at one.

    1. Rajesh K

      Freedom is a strange word – it exists, but it doesn’t. I find this name ironic for prison bazaar! Maybe it’s an inspirational one.

      Destination Infinity

  10. Jeevan

    Definitely! If I get to come across Puzhal, I will sure visit this shop and buy at least one or two. I know prison bazaar has opened but great they manage to make many items, fresh.

    1. Rajesh K

      Buy coconut biscuits if you go there. That’s what we liked the most!

      Destination Infinity

  11. Locomente

    Interesting… I have heard about it…

    1. Rajesh K

      Yes. I visit any interesting things/places I hear about! 🙂

      Destination Infinity

  12. sm

    Yes in many jails they do so.
    If possible visit the open jail also if there any.

    1. Rajesh K

      Let me check on the ‘open jail’. I’ll visit if there is one 🙂

      Destination Infinity

  13. Shilpa Garg

    That’s a wonderful initiative and good that the inmates are doing something constructive. This may even help them when they come out of prison and start their life afresh! The cake looks good!

    1. Rajesh K

      Yes. You know what, the prisoners grow and eat their own organic vegetables while we are still eating chemical ones!!!

      Destination Infinity

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