Freedom!!!

Excited - yes, scared - yes , Anxious - yes, thousands of questions raged through my mind as i geared up to visit the most high profile jail in the city.Our NGO was setting up a computer institute for the inmates in the jail, so i had been asked to go and inspect the place.
Dressed in a long kurta and jeans with a shawl around, i started off my journey.it just took me 20 mins by BEST to reach the place.I was to meet a colleague of mine outside the gate and he being a punctuality freak was there bang on time,me too.It was his dream and he could almost see it taking shape.
As soon as i was escorted in i realised it is a male dominated world inside.I was given and treated with a lot of respect...and i could also smell sympathy somewhere.Despair set in me , as i saw one of the inmmates had wetted his pants because of fear.I didnt feel like going in any more.Sat, encouraged myself and was set to walk into the prison.My colleague took me inside the prison and i was not ready for it.
There was a place where all the prisioners were sitting,they were being summoned for the court proceedings.As soon as i walked in all the eyes fell on me, i felt completly naked,i wished i had more clothes on.For the first time in my life i was very conscious of being a woman.Wanted to walk back, but i just mechanically followed my colleague.
I was taken into a small room, where ten computers were kept and i quiet liked the place.it was away from the prison buidings and in an open ground,but my only concern was during the rains it would get wet.I was then ushered in to meet the suppdnt, i was surprised to see a lady who looked like anybody's mom come and speak to me,we exchanged some pleasantries and realised "Man!!! she meant business".Even today when i read about her in the news, a sense of awe fills in, it is difficult to be incharge of 2000 male prisoners...meaning 2000 egos and as far the newspapers go, she has been doing a fantastic job.There were lot of peeping toms,who tried to get a glimpse of the only girl in the premises and yes i was conscious of them.
I was introduced to a young fellow, who helped me with the setting, he was wearin casual clothes and didnt look a prisoner.Under trials are allowed to wear clothes of their choice and the convicted are always in white.We got into talking and soon i realised that i was alone with him, and it is at that precise moment that i came to know he was an undertrial.Without looking at him,i asked how come he is in here, he said he was charged for murder.i froze!!!..and he was expectantly looking at me...and then my Lord gave me the grace to smile and say "theek ho jaayega, daro mat" and he smiled..such innocence!!!
After almost two hours i bade goodbye to my new made friends,even Mohammed the undertrial...and walked out into the busy streets of Bombay.It had more people than the prison, less space to walk...yet i felt free..and more than that i understood what freedom is all about.