Mangalore Runner Club organises an 8-km Heritage Run for the participants to get a glimpse of the rich past of the city’s Bunder and surrounding areas
The Mangalore Runner Club’s (MRC) Sunday Run was a journey through the history of the city’s Bunder and surrounding areas as several avid runners passed through the lanes of city’s erstwhile business centre on August 10. The participants got a glimpse of the rich past of the city as they went through several heritage places as they ran to meet thier weekly running target.
The ‘Mangalore Heritage Run’ took off and concluded at the building of Kanara Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), which was built in 1940.
Following a brief introduction about the run and a warm-up session, the run started at 5.45 a.m. While most of the male runners sported ‘Mundu’ (a traditional ‘dhoti’ or ‘vesti’), the female runners were seen wearing saris or salwar kameez. Some of them others sported shorts and MRC t-shirts.
The runners took their first pause in front of Zeenath Baksh Masjid, an old structure built with teak wood, by Kerala king Cheraman Perumal, in the name of Tipu Sultan’s daughter.
Running along the Old Bunder Street, which was once the spice market, the runners stopped outside the Pigeon Flying Club building which was earlier the arena for the traditional ‘Kori Katta’ (rooster fight).
Next to it was the old Vartak Vilas Palace, built by trader Rantanji Kanji Seth. The palace has a unique 3D name plate with building’s name written in two languages. The runners passed thorough the old Giri Manja Restaurant, which is popular for the Mangalurian fish curry.
The old Flower Market, the Car Street, the erstwhile New Chitra Theatre building, the old BEM School, the Canara Bank’s Founder Branch building, the 18th century Mahamaya Venkatramana Temple, the old jewellery outlet of S.L. Seth House, the old food joints of City Bakery and Ideal Ice Cream in Hampankatta, the vegetable market, the old Lady Goschen and Wenlock Government Hospitals, the colonial era’s St. Paul’s Military Church, A. Albuquerque and Sons Tiles Factory, the Rosario Cathedral and the old St. Anns PU College building were some of the other places the runners saw even as they recalled the historical significance of each of the structures.
In the last stretch, the runners visited the old DC Office, which was once the British Madras Presidency’s administrative building. They ran past the Mangaluru North Police Station which was once a residence of Tipu Sultan, and the old Kutch Menon Masjid.
As the run concluded, KCCI president Anand G. Pai and architect Niren Jain showed the runners KCCI’s new ‘Trade History Gallery’ which gives an overview of the trading legacy of the region.
The runners dispersed after eating traditional ‘Moode’, ‘Biskut Rotti’ and tea.