Saree is a piece of clothing that perfectly represents and encapsulates Indian culture. A typical saree consists of an un-stiched stretch of woven fabric arranged over the body.
Thousands of women wear saree all around the world. One can imagine running in a saree would be extremely difficult. However, imagine running a whooping distance of 42.5 kilometers. That's exactly what was done by Madhusmita Jena.
The 41-year-old Odisha woman staying in Manchester ran a marathon while wearing a traditional Sambalpuri Saree. She ran the Manchester Marathon 2023 in a red Sambalpuri Saree paired with orange sneakers. She completed the marathon in 4 hours and 50 minutes. Manchester Marathon is UK's second-largest marathon.
Netizens were happy and proud that Mrs. Jena represented Indian culture and heritage at such a global level. She also represented the Odisha community which consists of both tribal and folk communities coexisting for many years.
Running an entire marathon in a saree shatters stereotypes and proves that a typical Indian woman can do anything she puts her heart into. Netizens hope that more Indian culture is represented in other sports as well.
A Sambalpuri Saree is a traditional handwoven saree produced in the Sambalpur district of Odisha in India. The sarees were woven by the Bhulia community of Western Odisha. The sarees reflect a style of craftsmanship called 'Bandhakala.' A Sambalpuri saree consists of red, black, and white colors symbolizing the colors of Lord Jagannath. Lord Jagannath is a deity worshipped in Hindu traditions in Odisha. The craftsmanship also includes shells, wheels, and flowers that symbolize the Odisha culture. The Sambalpuri saree was conferred with the prestigious Geographical Indication (GI) tag in 2010, specifying that it corresponds only to Sambalpur.
(Input from various media sources)
