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From Phansi Yard: My Year with the Women of Yerawada
Some prisoners pray, some weep, some just put down their heads and work themselves weary. Sudha Bharadwaj watched through the bars of her cell, and she wrote. This is her remarkably granular account of the world of women prisoners in Yerawada Jail in Pune.
Bharadwaj was incarcerated here, in a high-security wing called Phansi Yard, from November 2018 to February 2020. She takes us through jail life, her own and the other women's, from one season to the next, weaving in lively portraits of her fellow prisoners, their children and even their pets, and reflecting on everything from absurd rules, caste hierarchies, food, fistfights and friendships to the dismal absence of legal aid for the most defenceless of women.
While Bharadwaj is an unflinching observer of the harshness of prison life, this is not a bleak book. It is written with warmth, compassion and impish humour. It is Bharadwaj's tribute to the women around her who showed her 'every single day,' she says, 'how to survive injustice, how to remain hopeful . . . how to continue to live, love, fight and laugh, even behind bars.'
Bharadwaj was incarcerated here, in a high-security wing called Phansi Yard, from November 2018 to February 2020. She takes us through jail life, her own and the other women's, from one season to the next, weaving in lively portraits of her fellow prisoners, their children and even their pets, and reflecting on everything from absurd rules, caste hierarchies, food, fistfights and friendships to the dismal absence of legal aid for the most defenceless of women.
While Bharadwaj is an unflinching observer of the harshness of prison life, this is not a bleak book. It is written with warmth, compassion and impish humour. It is Bharadwaj's tribute to the women around her who showed her 'every single day,' she says, 'how to survive injustice, how to remain hopeful . . . how to continue to live, love, fight and laugh, even behind bars.'
264 pages, Hardcover
Published November 10, 2023
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229 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
March 23, 2024
Incredibly moving and heartbreaking, and so tenderly written. 76 portraits of women in the Yerawada Jail and the fraught circumstances that led to their imprisonment, written by an iconic activist and lawyer herself incarcerated under draconian laws.
Also a shockingly grim report on the horrendous legal aid systems we have in India, especially for those who need them the most. Essential reading.
Also a shockingly grim report on the horrendous legal aid systems we have in India, especially for those who need them the most. Essential reading.
February 5, 2026
On a surface level, we are all aware of the gaps in the legal system and how people, especially the indigent and those belonging to backward classes/tribes get swallowed whole and spit out in a dark corner (if they are lucky/shrewd else in the middle of the barrack - there are no separate cells), mostly forgotten or forced to struggle in a system that displays no sympathy and rarely acknowledges their existence.
Here, we get to know the workings of the women's jail and bits of men's jail (sometimes in comparison, sometimes what the author finds out from the male co-accused) and part of lives of the many women who the author notices or comes in contact with. The simple observations, tenderness and ocassionally humour along with the way the text is formatted that illustrate life in prison make this an engrossing read.
The system - hierarchy, rules, shortcomings -, the multifarious ways life is lived within the interstices of rules of the jail both by the prisoners and the staff, all women, are portrayed so well that I couldn't keep the book down until I finished it.
Main insights I gleaned:
• how much more tolerant people are of religion, especially given the situation in the outside world.
• caste and culture differences are not insignificant with people often forming cliques and troubles between factions
• incredulous fuckedupness of the system where men, co-accused in the same case, are able to get out earlier than the women with them being a puppet or unwitting/minor accomplice in the men's crimes.
• Patriarchy doesn't loosen its grip even inside all woman jail.
Can't wait for the book discussion which includes Q&A with Sudha.
Here, we get to know the workings of the women's jail and bits of men's jail (sometimes in comparison, sometimes what the author finds out from the male co-accused) and part of lives of the many women who the author notices or comes in contact with. The simple observations, tenderness and ocassionally humour along with the way the text is formatted that illustrate life in prison make this an engrossing read.
The system - hierarchy, rules, shortcomings -, the multifarious ways life is lived within the interstices of rules of the jail both by the prisoners and the staff, all women, are portrayed so well that I couldn't keep the book down until I finished it.
Main insights I gleaned:
• how much more tolerant people are of religion, especially given the situation in the outside world.
• caste and culture differences are not insignificant with people often forming cliques and troubles between factions
• incredulous fuckedupness of the system where men, co-accused in the same case, are able to get out earlier than the women with them being a puppet or unwitting/minor accomplice in the men's crimes.
• Patriarchy doesn't loosen its grip even inside all woman jail.
Can't wait for the book discussion which includes Q&A with Sudha.
April 23, 2024
Capturing the stories of fellow prisoners and the conditions in Yerawada jail where she was imprisoned under the draconian UAPA law, this book is a testament to our capacity for senseless cruelty, how innate humanity will penetrate the strongest walls, and Sudha Bhardwaj’s boundless compassion and grace.
January 2, 2025
Stories we never hear or tend to ignore are presented unapologetically. Sudha Bharadwaj has given the world a world that seldom people think or even think about its existence.
Caste, gender and religion also play a crucial role among the prisoners is a shocking revelation.
The Netflix series Orange is the new black helped me like a headstart while reading this book. Thanks to my friend who wanted me to read this!
Caste, gender and religion also play a crucial role among the prisoners is a shocking revelation.
The Netflix series Orange is the new black helped me like a headstart while reading this book. Thanks to my friend who wanted me to read this!
October 6, 2024
In the Book there are brief notes about 76 prisoners which give us a glimpse into life behind prison walls.
Through individual narrative she exposes: overcrowded prison conditions, poor hygiene, inadequate legal aid,inefficient jail bureaucracy, class and caste hierarchies , the brutality of trafficking, the plight of elderly inmates and children.
Very interesting book .
Through individual narrative she exposes: overcrowded prison conditions, poor hygiene, inadequate legal aid,inefficient jail bureaucracy, class and caste hierarchies , the brutality of trafficking, the plight of elderly inmates and children.
Very interesting book .
January 24, 2024
The author was my junior (by one year) at IIT Kanpur. She was devoted towards social causes especially working towards the upliftment of the poor and down-trodden since her initial days at IIT. The book narrates her initial days leading up to her relocation to Chhattisgarh where she got involved further with social causes under the guidance of Guha Niyogi and Binayak Sen. She was implicated and charged under the UAPA by the current regime at the Centre and the book narrates her incarceration at Yerawada where she met inmates from various background as well as at Byculla Jail. It is an eye-opening book about the situation of various inmates and the intricacies of our judicial system which is often works against the purpose for which it was set up. Incidentally, as an aside, Sudha has been out on bail and the wheels of justice turn excruciatingly slowly - a vendetta tool used in the hands of the current Govt at the Centre.
January 15, 2024
In The Phansi Yard: My Year with the Women of Yerwada, Trade Unionist Sudha Bharadwaj documents the lives of women she had a ring side view of, while being locked up in the Phansi Yard of Pune's Yerawada prison.
While jail dairies can and ought to be understood as a literary genre, moving away from other jail dairy formats that place the author and their experiences at the centre of the narrative or the ones which provides uninteresting descriptions of the everyday in Prison, this book documents lives of over 70 women and also men who have figured in their lives or have disfigured it. Sudha is also able to connect the lives of these women to what role the Prisions should have placed and what role they are playing in reality.
Though the narrative style, while sharing stories of over 70 women [Start with identifiers of women at the beginning followed up with their stories and raising pertinent questions or concerns regarding women's issues] remains repetitive and might bore a reader, the complexities it tries to engage with is vast and complex, persuading people to continue reading. The author is cautious not to name any woman, thereby ensuring that their dignity is not compromised with.
Interspersed are author's notes on various aspects of jail life which deserve a special attention for both its succinct analysis and for providing necessary breaks amidst narrations of lives of women.
Commendable for capturing the prison and women's lives therein for all its complexities, it also needs to be referred to, for the doctor's eye that Sudha has for any prision reforms and to make prisions and legal systems accountable to the accused and the convicts.
What stands out throughout the book is how starkly different the life-world of women is, even though it's epicentre is the prison.
While jail dairies can and ought to be understood as a literary genre, moving away from other jail dairy formats that place the author and their experiences at the centre of the narrative or the ones which provides uninteresting descriptions of the everyday in Prison, this book documents lives of over 70 women and also men who have figured in their lives or have disfigured it. Sudha is also able to connect the lives of these women to what role the Prisions should have placed and what role they are playing in reality.
Though the narrative style, while sharing stories of over 70 women [Start with identifiers of women at the beginning followed up with their stories and raising pertinent questions or concerns regarding women's issues] remains repetitive and might bore a reader, the complexities it tries to engage with is vast and complex, persuading people to continue reading. The author is cautious not to name any woman, thereby ensuring that their dignity is not compromised with.
Interspersed are author's notes on various aspects of jail life which deserve a special attention for both its succinct analysis and for providing necessary breaks amidst narrations of lives of women.
Commendable for capturing the prison and women's lives therein for all its complexities, it also needs to be referred to, for the doctor's eye that Sudha has for any prision reforms and to make prisions and legal systems accountable to the accused and the convicts.
What stands out throughout the book is how starkly different the life-world of women is, even though it's epicentre is the prison.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 23, 2025
4.5/5 ⭐
It is said that a few men are made of steel but I say all the women are made of steel, grit and resilience. This book contains stories of such women.
Sudha Bharadwaj, an accused in the BK case, when sent to Yerwada jail, that too in isolation started observing the lives of women prisoners there, as there wasn't much to do anyways. She started keeping notes which turned out into a beautiful book. She writes with such beauty and grace, it feels like an entirely different world altogether, which I suppose it is.
It's a tenderly written account of the lives of the women prisoners in Yerwada, some undertrials and some of them convicts. I'd say the book is full of compassion, there's this culture glue sticking them all together called 'religion'. You'll find more tolerance, compassion and positivity inside these stories than in the world outside. You'll find this book written in a very non-judgmental tone as well as in the empathetic one.
While reading the accounts of such women, i felt many things: the empathy towards the wrongfully convicted, anger towards the state and justice system, understood the irony of it all, the lacunas of our legal system, the power imbalance, the unawareness about the legalities and the legal system.
PS: This book is too much to read yet it's an eye-opener and that's why I believe everyone must read it.
It is said that a few men are made of steel but I say all the women are made of steel, grit and resilience. This book contains stories of such women.
Sudha Bharadwaj, an accused in the BK case, when sent to Yerwada jail, that too in isolation started observing the lives of women prisoners there, as there wasn't much to do anyways. She started keeping notes which turned out into a beautiful book. She writes with such beauty and grace, it feels like an entirely different world altogether, which I suppose it is.
It's a tenderly written account of the lives of the women prisoners in Yerwada, some undertrials and some of them convicts. I'd say the book is full of compassion, there's this culture glue sticking them all together called 'religion'. You'll find more tolerance, compassion and positivity inside these stories than in the world outside. You'll find this book written in a very non-judgmental tone as well as in the empathetic one.
While reading the accounts of such women, i felt many things: the empathy towards the wrongfully convicted, anger towards the state and justice system, understood the irony of it all, the lacunas of our legal system, the power imbalance, the unawareness about the legalities and the legal system.
PS: This book is too much to read yet it's an eye-opener and that's why I believe everyone must read it.
January 31, 2024
Prison diaries are one of my favorite reading genres ever since I read Tales Of Prison Life by Sri Aurobindo. I picked up this book after reading about Sudha Bharadwaj after the infamous BK16 arrests. I find her work for the marginalized and downtrodden indeed inspiring. Leaving her life of prosperity, leading by example - she chose to work amongst the "have-nots" in Chattisgarh as a lawyer and Trade Union leader.
This book is about her time of long incarceration in Yerwada Jail and Byculla. In addition to the daily struggles which is even more for political prisoners compared to others in the under-capacity jail, it also mentions the circumstances leading to the culmination of crime by these women who in a large proportion are from the backward classes, muslims or from the highly impoverished backgrounds. Bharadwaj talks about them not just as observer but as sincere change- maker committed to the correction of these undertrials/convicts. A thoughtfully written book.
An excerpt from the book -
"The Constables accuse her of ‘not looking after her daughter’, but I think, looking at her taut, bitter face – how does one give love when one has never received it oneself?"
This book is about her time of long incarceration in Yerwada Jail and Byculla. In addition to the daily struggles which is even more for political prisoners compared to others in the under-capacity jail, it also mentions the circumstances leading to the culmination of crime by these women who in a large proportion are from the backward classes, muslims or from the highly impoverished backgrounds. Bharadwaj talks about them not just as observer but as sincere change- maker committed to the correction of these undertrials/convicts. A thoughtfully written book.
An excerpt from the book -
"The Constables accuse her of ‘not looking after her daughter’, but I think, looking at her taut, bitter face – how does one give love when one has never received it oneself?"
December 3, 2023
Sudha Bharadwaj's life is a compelling narrative, marked by intriguing choices. Opting to relinquish the comforts and citizenship of a developed nation to dedicate herself to her home country, grappling with pervasive challenges such as extreme poverty and sustainable development issues, showcases her extraordinary strength. The opening pages of her book provide a captivating glimpse into her life, infused with a touch of humour and a sense of abandonment that captivates the reader. This engaging storytelling style persists as she describes the inmates of Phansi Yard in Pune, where even in the face of dire and depressing situations, she seamlessly weaves in humour. It is this distinctive blend of wit and insight that truly sets her book apart.
April 4, 2025
This is the first prison diary I've read that was written by someone who wasn't dead. Honestly I admire Ms Bharadwaj for her strength and resilience, and I'm angry that her incarceration and that of the other 4 arrested on that day in connection with this same case.
The main throughline of this book is not poverty or feminism or Marxism - it's democracy. I think anyone who believes that today's political structure is substantially different from the tyrannical regimes of days past and that the world could never again reach such a state (me) needs to read this book and do some reflection. Today, as the entire world descends into fascism, it's important to remember that the political framework of our society is a house built on sand; we must constantly shore up against the fascistic tide.
The main throughline of this book is not poverty or feminism or Marxism - it's democracy. I think anyone who believes that today's political structure is substantially different from the tyrannical regimes of days past and that the world could never again reach such a state (me) needs to read this book and do some reflection. Today, as the entire world descends into fascism, it's important to remember that the political framework of our society is a house built on sand; we must constantly shore up against the fascistic tide.
October 14, 2024
Heartrending and compassionate stories of Women prisoners is disturbing and thought provoking. These are stories of perseverance, resilience, fight for injustice, hope .. It gives us a harrowing glimpse of the sorry state of prisons and prisoners in India.
I quote from the book "Our society has a lot to learn from prisoners about acceptance and tolerance."
I agree with the author.
It is a very interesting, informative and thought provoking book.
I quote from the book "Our society has a lot to learn from prisoners about acceptance and tolerance."
I agree with the author.
It is a very interesting, informative and thought provoking book.
October 3, 2024
For those who think life is difficult in their 2+BHKs. An inspiring woman, one wishes one had even 10% of the resolve and determination and Sudha Bharadwaj has. Stories told factually without unnecessary drama.
December 23, 2023
im always forced to face my own prejudices about criminality when i read prison diaries and its particularly humbling to read one as compassionately and intimately written as this
February 17, 2024
I wouldn't have ever known about the sorry state of the Indian prisons if not for this book.
Never ever am I taking my freedom and privileges for granted, after reading this. Such an eye-opener!
Never ever am I taking my freedom and privileges for granted, after reading this. Such an eye-opener!
October 5, 2024
Productivity and resilience at its finest.
April 1, 2025
Beautifully wriiten. Her words are so full of empathy for the incarcerated and hope for a better future for them; with thoughts on prison reform sprinkled throughout the pages. 100/10 recommend.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews