Ephemeral Cityness of Mumbai - (Case Study of Mumbai Marathon)

                  

                 It was an era, where along with pigeons, humans were dispatched to deliver important letters and news within the large empire. This news can sometimes turn over the running empire or might save the king with secret planned wasp of death. The importance of the news delivery, made postmen or dispatch boys active, loyal and one who can have great stamina.

 In the year Circa 539, when Romans got victory on Persians in battle of Marathon, it was very important to deliver the news back in administration in Athens as soon as possible. Army general chose Pheidippides, 'sparing a horse', who mapped distance from Marathon to Athen in scorching summer heat. His last word announced was “Nikomen” – We win and later he collapsed and died.  (Many other myths are attached to this story as well)

                 During plans for the 1896 Olympics, the first modern Games, organizers wanted an event to celebrate Greek history. French historian Michel Breal suggested a long-distance race from Marathon to Athens to honor Pheidippides’ run. Greek runner Spiridon Louis won the race—winning Greece’s only gold medal of the Games—and the local excitement over the race ensured that it would be included in later Games. Soon it became the heart of Olympic games.

                   Marathons are now being encouraged to support different purpose. It can be run to encourage healthy lifestyle in Modern times or to promote social causes like Peace, global warming or lost rights. Sometime, its run to show the fight against corruption or to exhibit solidarity support.

 

The route of Marathon highlighting Landmarks to “advertise” city of  Mumbai.   

             Apart from its rich history, different Cities exhibits different Marathon run. In this marathon, citizens are allowed to participate along with the other professional from different countries. In a way its open and celebrated to promote social integrity.  City’s administrative in-charge are very particular with the route map of the marathon run. Urban Planners and designers make sure they exhibit the Image of the city by selecting route where the key landmarks of the city get highlighted. This marathon is displayed on various sports channels in different countries and that can be used to enhance the tourism in many ways. As Kevin lynch explains, the “map making” in the individual’s mind arises due to the five basic principle of Urban design that includes 1)Path , 2)Edges,  3)Nodes,  4)District and 5)Landmarks.  

Image from IndianExpress (16^th Jan,2017) Showing landmarks and Marathon

 

Times of India (16^th jan ,2017) highlights Bandra worli sea link as Mumbai Marathon Route

 

                     Marathon in Mumbai is organised six months prior to the day of event. Day is chosen when it did not clash with any other festival or event. They make sure all the construction is completed before the event on the route mapped for the Run. Special Arm forces and military teams to called to augment local state police are called on these special event. Paths and roads of Marathon route are announced to the public a week prior so that vehicular entrance is restricted. Planning of entrances plays very important role. Entrances are classified according to the people participating. Special entrances are made for VIPs and participants who are differently able. Even through the clean-up takes days to complete, the service of infrastructure used, is taken care on the same day itself.

                    There will be no hesitation to derive that actual meaning of Marathon is lost to capital form of money earning. People make sure they train a week prior to run for a long route once in a year. Meanwhile they buy products which earn a yielding amount to the sports and brand manufacturer.

                      Around ten thousand people participate for run that’s is divided according to the distatnce.ie 7 km, 21 km and 42 km. Runners are informed priory about the location and the spot of start of the race.

                        More than a competition, Marathon acts as a social threshold which allows Citizen to come together. It’s not only factor of health but also the connection of citizen to the city. Public events allow people to express themselves. Marathon is more than an Infrastructural change in the city.it promotes community involvement in the city with lack of community space. It’s mass procession of citizens. Marathon is classic example of appropriation of spaces for multiple use of the city. For the first time, roads welcomes human instead of cars. It caters Universally to all class and caste of citizen.  It’s a form of freely expressing and standing for your thoughts, for what you represent. Marathon have been modernized from passing one message in Greeks civilization to passing Mass messages in modern civilization.

DNA  (16^th jan ,2017) highlights ‘Street welcoming all’ and Social enrichment of the city through Sports

 

 Jane Jacobs, perfectly define the conditions by quoting below lines to demonstrate where our city went wrong and how civilization have totally different perspective towards it.

 
“The trouble with paternalists is that they want to make impossibly profound changes, and they choose impossibly superficial means for doing so.” 
― Jane Jacobs, The Death and Life of Great American Cities

-           By Esa Shaikh

-           Architect and Urban Designer, Asst. Professor 

-           7977841258

                    All the images and the Map belongs to Author except mentioned otherwise

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