Women wearing colourful saris and sneakers are set to break a dress code barrier at Saree Run in Hyderabad. A first-of-its-kind event in Hyderabad encourages women in midlife to start a fitness journey in an attire they are comfortable in. While there have been sari runs in Bengaluru (where it was initiated in 2016 ), Pune and Kolkata, it comes to Hyderabad for the first time at People’s Plaza on Necklace Road, on March 17.
“The story of the Saree Run began during a half-marathon training by Jayanagar Jaguars, a running group in Bengaluru. Jayashree Mudaliar, part of the group and an organising member of the Saree Run, says, “This group had only four women, which sparked off a conversation. That was when coach Pramod Deshpande remarked that women are hesitant to take up fitness routines.”
Hoping to bring in a change, the members spoke to a cross-section of women to find out why they would not prioritise fitness. “Not having time” was one common answer and some said, they ‘don’t look good in the attire’. “So, fitness has become synonymous with attire,“ says Jayashree, adding, “ Female celebrity role models have an hourglass figure, which is far away from reality. The rest of us are still struggling with body image issues and dealing with body shaming.”
Break the stereotype
The first step was to make the women in mid-life (in the 30s) come outdoors and be part of an event that inspires them to prioritise fitness. Homemakers are the target participants as the intention is to break the stereotype. “A woman marathoner wearing a T-shirt and shorts and flaunting her medals on social media feels like she is from a different culture. But these are women like you and me, who have multiple challenges at home but are still pushing boundaries, creating a space for themselves and balancing things.”
While the first Run in Bengaluru saw only 20 women, the 2023 event was a burst of colour with 7,500 participants; Women came dressed in their best with some wearing a nauvari sari , some in nine yards in a South Indian style, and some wearing the sari in the Coorgi or Gujarati style.
Creating awareness
For the Run in Hyderabad, a three-kilometre route will be barricaded and dotted with multiple hydration stations and light refreshments. Two medical ambulances with lady doctors and nurses will be on standby. “We are trying to create a carnival atmosphere. The objective is to create awareness and help women give priority to fitness and while on this Run, have some fun. Bring your friends along,” says Jayashree.
Taneira Saree Run is at People’s Plaza, Necklace Road on March 17, reporting time 6am onwards; To register, contact: +91 8867760601
