Sweets, savouries made by prisoners on sale at Freedom Bazaar in Madurai

Madurai Central Prison's Freedom Bazaar offers Deepavali sweets and savouries, including bucket sweets, at discounted prices.

Freedom Bazaar of Madurai Central Prison has begun its sale of sweets and savouries for Deepavali.

Deputy Inspector General of Prisons, D. Pazhani, on Monday formally launched the sale in the presence of Prison Superintendent Satheesh Kumar. While regular sale of sweets and savouries has been going on, the Deepavali sale has come with an offer. “We have come up with bucket sweets. Around 1.5 kg of sweets and savouries is sold for ₹499 in a bucket,” Mr. Pazhani said.

Around 50 prisoners are involved in making the sweets and savouries inside the prison and another 50 prisoners are involved in selling them at the Freedom Bazaar,” he said.

The sweets combo comprises laddu, milk sweet, mysurpa, jilebi, badusha, athirasam, murukku, mixture, rava laddu, millet laddu and gulab jamun. The sweets are sold at a cost of ₹350 a kg and savouries at ₹240 a kg.

The jail authorities have planned to sell 6,500 kg of sweets. “The sale will go on between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. Our bazaar would remain open on Deepavali day also,” the DIG said.

People intending to give ‘seer’ or gifts during Deepavali festival can also buy the sweets and savouries which are sold much below the market price. Millet laddu and gulab jamun are made by the women prisoners, he added.