Bhoothanatheshwara Cross Country Monsoon Marathon for unity on Aug 15

Mangalore, June 16: Shasthavu Sri Bhoothanatheshawara Temple, Badaga Yedapadavu, Mijar here is organising the Sri Bhoothanatheshwara Cross Country Monsoon Marathon with a cash prize totalling over Rs 7 lakh on August 15. Separate events will be held for men and women in five categories: professional sportspersons marathon (42.195 km), villagers half-marathon (21.095 km), senior citizens walkathon for those above 45 years (10.5 km), children's marathon (5.25km) and wheelchair marathon for physically challenged citizens (2.5 km).

The marathon will be conducted in and around the temple's neighbourhood. There will be three prizes for each category. The first prize for the professional sportsperson's category is Rs 1 lakh, while first prize for other categories is for Rs 25,000 each. The children's category has a prize of Rs 15,000.

Entry is free and only spot registrations will be accepted.

Theme:

The theme of the Marathon is 'Unity'. Hence people of all communities, castes and religions are welcome. Participants will be required to wear the traditional attire of their particular community to foster pride in one's community identity and also to develop mutual appreciation and respect for each other's religion / caste. In the professional sportsperson's category, collarless white T-shirt and Kachche, Mundas (turban) is compulsory dress code for men, while women shall wear collared white T-shirt and shorts.

Objective:

The objective of the marathon is to foster social harmony, cultivate appreciation of rural way of life, awaken appreciation for the rich natural splendour of our countryside and inspire the people to protect the environment and ecology.

Hence People from the city areas will be especially encouraged to participate in this rural event. Commencing and culminating at the temple premises, this cross country marathon will make the participants to go through a variety of terrain like roads, side roads, gulleys, culverts, hills, dunes, valleys, streams, woods, etc. This is to inculcate appreciation of village life and love of our beautiful and natural countryside.

Wheel Chair category marathon will be conducted in a specially developed track near the temple premises. Arrangement will be made to provide food to all the participants.

Vijaynath Vittal Shetty, the Chief Co-ordinator of the event, said in a press release, “After the very encouraging response that we received from the people for the Village Games, Kabaddi and Cricket tournaments held at the temple, we are keen to organize this marathon to promote activity during the laid back Monsoon season,”

He said “In Dakshina Kannada, we are blessed with abundant rains and there is beautifully greenery all around. We want to encourage the people to come out of their homes and celebrate the Monsoon season, which the lifeline of this region.”