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Colour and enthusiasm mark Mumbai marathon
Guess who all ran the Mumbai marathon on Sunday? Superman, Shivaji and even vegetables!
Guess who all ran the Mumbai marathon on Sunday? Superman, Shivaji and even vegetables!
People dressed in a wide variety of costumes added colour and fun to the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon in which thousands took part. Entire families were there.
Governor S.M. Krishna flagged off the runners at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus in south Mumbai.
On the roads were mothers prodding their five-year-olds to run; teenagers led their grandparents, while fathers carried their children on their shoulders.
More than 28,000 people hit the roads Sunday. The enthusiasm was evident everywhere.
Nine-year-old Varsha Bowarkar was perched on her father's shoulder dressed in the red-blue-yellow Superman costume. She had come all the way from Borivili, 33 km away, and was cheering away lustily.
A young participant was there in his wheelchair dressed as Chhatrapati Shivaji, the 17th century Maratha ruler.
Nina Kanhaiya, 10, was dressed as a lemon tree, and ran with her parents.
"It's for fun. There need not be a message for everything," explained Neena's father.
A participant dressed as Yama, the Hindu god of death, was there complete with mace, helmet and a skull garland along with two companions dressed as skeletons holding a banner warning tobacco users.
There was also one dressed as a giant brinjal, who despite the uncomfortable attire was determined to sprint along to the cheers of onlookers.
A total of Rs.50 million ($1.1 million) charity money was raised on Sunday for the nearly 120 NGOs participating in the event.
