Experience life in Indian jail for Rs 500 per day - "Feel the Jail" Tourism Program

Surprising to hear these three words 'Feel the Jail' but this is true. There is a colonial era jail in Medak district in Telangana. This is quite a famous tourist spot nowadays. This jail is almost 220 years old located in Sangareddy. But now, this jail is converted into the museum and has become a hot destination for tourists. It is surprising to know that you can rent a cell in the jail under the innovative tourism initiative, known as the Feel the Jail tourism program. It offers the 24 hours confinement to the tourists.

This 'Feel the Jail' program is launched by prisons department for the tourists. This program is basically for those people who wish to take the experience of the jail and want to spend some time behind the bars. Here, one can take the experience the feeling of being detention.


Picture courtesy: Hindustan Times. Mr. Srinivasa Rao Apparasu (Journalist, Hindustan Times) exploring the "Feel the jail" program as a paid tourist visitor.

The persons who rent the cell in this heritage jail will be known as prisoners. They will be provided with the prisoners dress of pure Khadi. They will have to wear that uniform so as to feel like the real prisoner. During the stay, the tourist prisoners will be served the same food as served to the inmates at the time when this jail was active. The food will be provided in the same type of steel plates. The tourist would get the feel of the real prisoner and has to follow all the rules and regulations of the prison. Feel of real prison life would dissuade people from indulging in the wrong activities.

Also, a prior booking is needed to avail this offer for the tourists. This is essential so that the jail authorities can make the necessary arrangements for the inmates.

This district jail was set up during the prime ministership of Salar Jung – 1 in the year 1976 during the Nizam rule of the princely state of Hyderabad. This is one of the renowned jails of its time and now one of the renowned museums which is visited by the number of tourists. Its popularity has increased with this Feel the Jail program.


Picture courtesy: Hindustan Times. Mr. Srinivasa Rao Apparasu (Journalist, Hindustan Times) paid Rs 500 to experience the jail life and spent a day in Telangana's Old District Central Jail at Sangareddy town.

There is work schedule for the visiting prisoners and they will have to do all the jobs which are assigned to them such as cleaning of the barracks, plantation of saplings and other similar jobs. There, the prisoners will be provided all the meals as per the jail menu. Nobody will get the food of their own choice. Along with the food, the tea will also be served to them.

It is amazing to know that this famous jail is spread over the three acres of land and the building occupies more than one acre. There are two wings in the jail i.e. male wing and female wing. Also, there are 9 barracks in the male wing and one in the female wing.

Prison Tourism