Siddhartha Nagar (Uttar Pradesh), Feb 4 (IANS): When he entered prison here in 2013, his life was all black.

Ramesh Patwa, 35, had murdered his wife for dowry and had been given a life term.

He is, however, now determined to add a bit of color to his life and lots of colour also to his surroundings.

Patwa is painting a mural on the walls of the jail and has turned the barren barracks into a riot of colours.

Jail Superintendent Rakesh Singh said that Patwa has changed a lot after he started painting. The jailer said that Patwa learnt painting from another inmate, Feroz, who was given the responsibility of painting the walls of the jail. Feroz taught Patwa how to work with brush and paint.

"We always encourage jail inmates to get involved in positive activities and there is no doubt that art has the power to change a person. After he started painting, we noticed a huge change in Ramesh. He has become kinder and more compassionate and even helps doctors and patients in the jail hospital since he has done a course in pharmacy," said the jail superintendent.

Patwa paints deities, landscapes and even portraits. The jail officials provide him the colours and brush. For Ramesh, painting is as if his atonement for past sins.