Convicts want music, not food

Former deputy chief minister M P Prakash offers to treat jailbirds to lunch on his birthday, but they prefer songs

Convicts want music, not food

Former deputy chief minister M P Prakash offers to treat jailbirds to lunch on his birthday, but they prefer songs

Former deputy chief minister M P Prakash's admirers offered lunch for convicts to mark his 70th birthday, but to his surprise, they said they would rather have music.

Neither Prakash's admirers, who are organising the birthday celebrations, nor Aswath, the singer who will perform on Saturday, had any clue that the convicts were music lovers.

The convicts will now get a double treat: lunch with holige, a sweet popular in Karnataka, and a musical event.
Aswath mostly sings contemporary poetry in tunes composed by himself. He shot to fame in the 1980s with his recordings of Shishunala Sharif, a saint and poet often compared to Kabir. He has also made music for films.

"We have a special lunch for 5,000 prisoners and a musical event between 2.30 pm and 5 pm on Saturday," said Anil Kumar, who heads the celebrations committee.

Prakash, who hails from Bellary district, is known for his literary and cultural interests. He writes and acts in theatre, and is close to Karnataka's writers and intellectuals.

"Politicians have galas at the Palace Grounds when they turn 70. I thought we should have something meaningful," Prakash told MiD DAY.

"We have given a formal letter to the police and the jail authorities for permission," Anil Kumar said.

Aswath, who lives in Bangalore and tours the state regularly, said, "I wonder why they specially asked for my musicu2026 I plan to sing some vachanas, patriotic songs and folk songs."

He has shortlisted 20 songs for the event.

Former minister P G R Sindya will be chief guest at the jail concert.

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