Price rise on top of runners' minds

Price rise, scams and tigers featured prominently at the Dream Run this year. But, soaring prices ruled as a cavalcade of Dream Runners turned up in price-rise themed outfits.

Price rise, scams and tigers featured prominently at the Dream Run this year. But, soaring prices ruled as a cavalcade of Dream Runners turned up in price-rise themed outfits.

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Zarin Havewala, 58, walked away with the second prize in the fancy dress competition in an outfit showcasing two-and-a-half kg onions. It took a day to stitch together and a trip to the wholesale market, to ensure that the costume didn’t leave a dent in the household budget.

“Prices have gone out of the reach of the common man and this is the social cause I wanted to highlight this year,” said Havewala, who won Rs 20,000.

Not far off, Nitin Dhumal, 42, a security guard, had morphed into a giant onion with other vegetables stuck on.

Winners of the group fancy dress category were also focused on the country’s current crises, with a group of friends fitted out in full-bandaged apparel and with the names of various scams emblazoned on their chests. “Every day there is a new scam,” said Ankit Mehta, 28.

Anti-price rise posters bobbed up and down alongside a contestant dressed as RK Laxman’s iconic “Common Man”, putting the aam aadmi at the centre as this year’s popular Dream Run theme.

The tiger was another favoured muse among participants this year, with several groups championing the cause of the striped cat. “We urgently need to spread awareness about the engendered status of the tiger,” said Tejal Morbia, 14, who along with a group of her schoolmates brandished posters and slogans during the run.

Rachay Gada, 8, and two of his cousins turned up at 6am on Sunday morning with yellow, black and orange stripes painted on their bodies. Two others turned up as hunters. “They got up at 2.30am to get dressed. They have been excited about the marathon for days,” said Kanti Gada, Rachay’s father.

A total of 179 non-profit groups supporting causes as varied as education, waste management and tribal welfare, turned out in all.

(With inputs from Nishtha Srivastava and Sneeha Nair)