A spirited gathering of women graced the Saree Run organised by fitness centre JJ Active at BGS Ground in Vijayanagar on Sunday.
Credit: DH PHOTO/SK Dinesh
Vijayanagar awoke to a resplendent Sunday morning as women of all ages and walks of life lined up on its streets, draped in sarees of their choice, to take part in the three-km saree run.
No sooner had the event begun at 6 am from BGS Grounds than thousands of women thronged Chord Road, surprising early morning joggers. Women rejoiced as they and their sarees together hogged the limelight.
Counters that served energy drinks along the way provided elderly women with a much-needed break.
Around 7 am, the first batches returned to the ground after completing three km, receiving loud cheers from onlookers and volunteers.
Once back, the runners assembled near the stage and were treated to speeches and small performances by women achievers.
“It is a joy to see everyone from young children to old parents coming together. I look forward to more such saree runs in Bengaluru,” said SAP Labs MD Sindhu Gangadharan, one of the participants.
Sindhu Sreenivasa Murthy, the director-lead actor of the Kannada film Aachar and Co, recalled her experiences in traditional attire while shooting for the film.
The event stood out for the wide spectrum of runners it accommodated.
One-year-old Ashwitha A Joshi was the youngest participant. As the excited child merrily jumped around, her mother Tanushree spoke of the memorable experience.
“Carrying her and completing the run wasn’t nearly as taxing as waking her up, dressing her up, and bringing her here,” she said.
On the other end of the spectrum was 86-year-old Lalitha Kini from Mangaluru, the oldest participant.
“Since I walk regularly and have taken part in similar runs in the US at my daughter’s place, I was able to pull through without much sweat,” she remarked.
Of the 7,500 women who registered for the event, over 5,000 turned up for the run.