Convicts and undertrials lodged at the Purnea Central Jail are being trained in yoga and meditation for relief from stress and depression.

The training session went under way on Monday. It will continue for a month.

At present, two graduates from the Bihar School of Yoga in Munger are training 65 inmates divided in two groups. The jail superintendent, Jawaharlal Prabhakar, said these 65 inmates would later train the other prisoners.

On Monday, the trainers — a brother-sister duo Rahul Kumar and Deepa Keshari — introduced the inmates to light exercises such as Pawanmukta. The asana, as the name suggests, helps one be free from wind problems. Among other benefits, it provides relief from acidity and gas formation.

The jail administration has made two separate groups, one of 40 male inmates and the other of 25 female inmates. They are being trained for an hour from 9am.

Among the inmates who attended the first training session were Yogendra Muni, Khushbu Khatun and Killu Das.

On the experience, Rahul said: “The inmates looked quite confident at the first session. Yoga and meditation would help them release tension and maintain good health. My sister Deepa is imparting training to the women inmates. All of them are being trained for an hour under tight security. The training is for free.”

He, however, maintained that a month was not sufficient for the job and they should have had been given three months.

“We would request the district administration to extend the training period. We’ll try to do our best in the given time,” he added.

Rahul and Deepa, who completed their master’s degree from the Bihar School of Yoga this year, would also train the inmates in meditative postures such as Tratak and Antarmaun.

Tratak involves staring at a single object to develop concentration and strengthen the eyes, while Antarmaun makes one achieve an illusion-free state.

Slowly, the inmates would be trained in asanas like Pranayam.

Jail superintendent Prabhakar told The Telegraph: “Mental stress and depression are common among the inmates as they live a secluded life for a long time. Yoga can be a good tool to keep them fit mentally and physically. We have formed two groups — of male and female convicts. They will later train the other prisoners.”

The jail has 18 wards with 1,065 inmates. As all the inmates cannot be trained within a month by the two trainers, two groups have been formed. Once trained, the inmates can pass on their lessons to the others.