Early in the afternoon on Saturday 9 July Don Bosco’s casket entered the Berhampore proson in the State of West Bengal, accompanied by Fr Thomas Ellicherail, the Provincial of India-Calcutta, Fr Albert Thottunkal, Rector of the Salesian house “Don Bosco Yuva Jyoti”, Fr Scaria Nedumattathil, the Director of Prison Ministry and Fr Francis Thathenkery, the Deputy Director Don Bosco Prison Ministry.
After the initial formalities as registering the names of the visitors and signing the documents were over, Don Bosco moved into the prison with a group of Salesians, video crew and the foreign guests. They were greeted first of all by “Don Bosco Band” all prison inmates and taught to play by the Salesian prison ministry team.
Afterwards there was the solemn lighting of a lamp, acconpanied by the children of the prison singing a hymn to Don Bosco. Present at the ceremony were Sri Biplob Dasgupta the Deputy Inspector General of Prisons, Sri Binod Kumar Singh the Chief Controller and Sri Navin Kumar Kujur Deputy Chief Controller.
The most touching moment of the visit was when Budhudev Mete, a convict who had composed a song for the occasion performed it in classical style, with tears in his eyes as Kausik Chatterjee, another convict accompanied him on the tabla (a kind of Indian drum), while the rest of the convicts paid homage to Don Bosco.
Fr. Thomas Ellicherail addressed a few words to all saying, ``Don Bosco was a man who stood for the cause of justice and established an educational system by which the young would never have to go to such a place.`
When the short visit of about 40 minutes was over the casket was taken to the Salesian parish church where Rt. Rev. Joseph Gomes, the bishop of Krishnagar presided over the Eucharist along with ten concelebrants.
In such a short time Don Bosco had made a deep impression and the convicts were indeed blessed to have seen Don Bosco inside their own premises.
Published 13/07/2011
