WB serves mutton biryani to inmates for Durga puja

Festival season will be merrier. Representational Pic/Getty Images

Correctional home authorities in West Bengal have planned to serve mutton biryani, "basanti pulao" and several other Bengali cuisines as a change on the menu for inmates during the upcoming Durga puja to ensure that they do not feel left out of the festivities, an official said on Saturday.

The changed menu for inmates "both convicts and undertrials" for lunch and dinner would be effective from Sasthi (October 9) to Dashami (October 12), covering the beginning and end of Durga puja, he said. "We get requests from inmates for better food during every festival. We have got a new menu this year and are hopeful that this will bring smiles to their faces. I personally consider this as a very positive move to reform them," the official said.

A decision was reached that the inmates, who work as cooks, would prepare the delicacies during the Durga puja festivities. The delicacies to tickle the taste buds of the inmates will consist of a wide range of items - "Macher matha diye pui shak" (Malabar spinach with fish head), "macher matha diye dal" (dal with fish head), ‘luchi-cholar dal' (puri and Bengali chana dal), ‘payesh' (Bengali porridge), chicken curry, "alu potol chingri" (shrimp with pointed gourd and potato), mutton biryani with "raita" (mixed curd) and ‘basanti pulao' (yellow pulao)," he said.

However, to respect the religious sentiment of the inmates, non-vegetarian food will not be served to everyone and the prisoners will be asked to choose items, the official said. Altogether 26,994 men and 1,778 women are now lodged in 59 correctional homes in the state.

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever