Dal Lama, an alleged drug trafficking defaulter has spent a decade painting the walls of Asia's largest prison with his serene Buddhas and inviting landscapes. He tellsu00a0FYI he's glad his art travels to shows abroad even though he can't

Thankfully, some jailbirds don't undervalue their wings. They flap them free for all to feel life's beauty, and when it's finally time to fly away, it's they who are prepared, and the prison isn't. Dal Lama, an inmate of the Tihar Central Prison is a 29 year-old remanded to custody 10 years ago in a case of drug trafficking.

He set his soul free in the lock-up. It was art that did it for Dal. Today, gigantic Buddha paintings on the towering walls of Tihar tell the story of his enlightenment, and lyrical landscapes make his co-dwellers dream of another day in paradise. His art has travelled across the world, even as he stays shut from it.

Six months later, the story will be different. FYI entered Jail No. 4 to settle for a talk over tea with Lama.

Your name bears an uncanny resemblance to the Dalai Lama. Have you felt like a messiah?
I don't know. Maybe. I believe in the Buddha.