Reformed & Released Prisoners Making Herbal Gulal as their own start-up post release.
Project Highlights
Antarkranti is a lead agency in India working for prevention of Crime through interventions with prisoners & jails. It is providing Spiritual Empowerment, livelihoods & positive engagement to prisoners for their correction. Antarkranti is an initiative of Divya Jyoti Jagrati Sansthan.
- Antarkranti Naturals Herbal Gulal is a Start-up project by 8 Transformed & Released prisoners under Antarkranti- Post-release Rehabilitation Program. They started working on the project in September 2015.
- Some of them were convicted for murder, dacoity, rape etc.
- Spiritual Empowerment of Prisoners resulted into mindset changes & transforming their inner-self. All these ex-inmates still get up at 4am in the morning, meditate by doing ‘Dhyaan’ for three to four hours in a day & work for around 8 hoursin making colours.
- DJJS initiated its Spiritual activities in Tihar in 1995 which is now reaching out to 40 Jails across India.
- ‘Colours of Change’ Project started in 2010 in Tihar Jail with 500 Kgs of Gulal, this year produced 7000 kgs of Herbal Gulal.
- All the 8 prisoners have worked in ‘Antarkranti- Skill Development & Livelihood Generation Unit’ of Divya Jyoti Jagrati Sansthan in Tihar Jail till last year.
- Antarkranti Herbal Gulal is the only Gulal in the country which is made using edible grade ingredients; maize starch (Arrowroot powder/ Corn-flour), these edible-grade ‘gulals’ are available in 7 Radiant Shades & Stress busting 7 herbal aromas:
Red – Fresh Rose
Orange – Kesar Haldi
Pink – Lilly of Valley
Green – Lemon Grass
Sky Blue – Fresh Mint
Yellow – Lal Chandan
Magenta – Lavender
- Lab Tested for Heavy Metals from NABL approved labs and is completely safe to skin and fun to play with.
- Packaging: These herbal colours are available in environment-friendly packaging which meets international standards made by using recycled paper, water based inks & water soluble adhesives.
- Available in 100Gms packing for Rs.90/- each
- Overseas order from US, UK & Kazakhstan
- Corporate Stalls: Pitney Bowes, Ultratek Cement, Schneider Electric, Videocon Industries, Taj Hotels, Monotype Solutions, Gulf Lubricants, Ranbaxy among others.
- Will also be available at Dilli Haat, INA
- E-commerce sites: Flipkart, Snapdeal, Paytm, Homeshop18, Shopclues, ISayOrganic, ShunyaAlternatives, AskMeBazaar
Key Ex-Prisoner’s profile:
- Vipin: Looks after production of Herbal Gulal, He was convicted for 7 years of Rigorous Imprisonment for Looting & Dacoity case. In 2011 in Jail NO.5 of Tihar he came in touch with DJJS ideology and received Brahmgyan, which transformed his inner realm. Then he got trained in making Herbal Incenses & Gual. After his release in August2015, he startred working at Antarkranti- Post Release Rehabilitation Centre.
- Vijay Singh: A native of Bihar, convicted for 14 years for a murder case, was incharge of Antarkranti- Skill Development & Livelihood Generation Unit in Jail No.5, now looks after all logistics related works in this Start-up project. His son is also a beneficiary of the program. He volunteers with Antarkranti and is pursuing his graduation with support from the program.
- Rajendra Gupta a release prisoner who is Blind: Seeing 48 years old Rajendra Gupta dexterously mix herbal colour with corn-flour through a muslin sieve you get the impression that he has been doing this for years. What’s incredible is that he made these colours since 2011, since he joined the Antarkranti- Skill Development & Livelihood Generation Unit in Jail No.5, cannot tell the colours apart as he is blind. He lost his eyesight at the age of 12. A graduate, who was convicted for 5 years was initially depressed when he entered the high walls of Jail in May,2010. He wanted to be engaged in something, when heard that he can be engaged in making holi colours he jumped at the opportunity. Now he is earning a dignified livelihood by making Herbal Incenses & Holi Colours.
- Hardev Singh: Looks after all sourcing & procurement of Raw Material and also selling the products is his priority.
