Idlis with a purpose

Maybe Tihar jail set the benchmark but looks like many jails across India are trying to do good and helping the inmates see how good can bring about positivity.

This came to mind on reading this news about idlis selling like hot cakes outside the District Jail in Mahbubnagar, Telangana.  Its  a small idli stall but everything is made by the inmates and a plate of four fluffy, white idlis costs Rs.5 only.

They start in the wee hours of the morning as news spread the quality and pricing of the idlis, people from nearby areas are making a beeline for their morning breakfast and also to pack a take away.

This idli making is a social enterprise and operates on an absolutely no-profit basis. The inmates are shown a way of livelihood and a chance to face people from outside the prison.

The only thing which immediately makes you aware that this is not the usual roadside idli stall are the guards who watch like hawaks – both the inmates as well as the customers. Afterall, no one wants a jailbreak which in turn will put an end to any more such social enterprises in the future.