Madurai marathon!

A Marathon modified and with a message...Madurai runs now!!

With all the news coverage about the Mumbai marathon and the cricket match this might not have been noticed...but, a marathon in Madurai sounds great! One can create any event in this town and people will add their culture to it and celebrate it as their own and in a few years it will be a local event!

"With the Central Government declaring 2007 as `Water Year - Year of more crop and income per drop of water,' it becomes imperative for every responsible citizen to express their support for the global concern," said a beaming M. Paramasivam, a retired headmaster.

To accommodate a cross section of people, the organisers arranged a mini-marathon, a celebrity walk and a run exclusively for the differently-abled. There were also participants on roller skates to join hands with the others.

Different venues were assigned for the multiple events, as there was an overwhelming response from the crowd for each. The venues, Madurai Medical College and Race Course Stadium, were bursting at its seams with more than 35,000 thronging the starting points.

"With the depleting water sources, it is important to make people understand the significance of protecting and preserving water bodies. Hence, a massive effort like this will go a long way in keeping the public abreast of the stark realities," said G. Ramakrishnan, physical education teacher of a school.

The event sensitised the public to safeguard and renovate water bodies and conserve water.