It happened while I was in my primary classes. We visited Thiruchi and visited Srirangam, travelling over the big iron bridge over the vast sand dunes. My dad was telling me that this place used to flood and Srirangam is in the middle of water , like an island. (But I visualized Cauveri flooding with water only when I was reading the first chapter of Ponniyan selvan.) Back in school one day was teacher was teaching about peninsula, island and I wrote srirangam as an example for Island. The teacher scowled at me for it. I wished I would bring her to Alcatraz and show her the name plate that showed "Alcatraz Island".
Alcatraz technically qualifies to be an island as it is surrounded by water, but actually it is just the tip of an rock, whose total size is 20+ acres. Lot of things happened in this place just like on any other piece of land on this earth.But its mostly known for the jail it had, might be because it was the last of the biggest things to happen there. There was an self guided audio tour to help to walk through the jail. The audio tour was nicely crafted with supposedly voices of the wardens, jailer, prisoners etc and with the screeching sounds of the cell gates.
We were walking through one of the aisles, it has the cells opposite each of them there was a small glass window. They were supposedly the brightest cells, as there was a grilled wall above the glass panel. Through the glass window one can watch the San Francisco. The Freeland that is so near, but still so far. In the background the voice of one of the prisoner is reeling, " we could hear the voices of celebration, happening, new year sounds, sounds of girls giggling...". That was the moment I realised what 'JAIL' means. the biggest punishment of all was seeing the freedom in front of ones eyes and still not able to enjoy it. How cruel it would be?
When we started the tour , we were talking about the statement in the pamphlet. Food, shelter medicine will be provided. Everything else is privilege. My friend was asking what else one need. I got the answer when I was viewing the beautiful landscape through the glass panel.
I was wondering whether is this a bliss compared to be locked in dark cell or is this the cruelest punishment where the roaring waves and the sky scrapping buildings on the other side of the water teases you about what you miss. Not surprisingly most of the tour was about various failed attempts made to escape. Well that's one of the basic urge of an human to be free. Whatever be the dangers that lie ahead it can't stop the man's innate urge to be free.
