A large number of people participated in the India Day Parade in New York on Sunday. A major attraction was the carnival float displaying the Ram temple in Ayodhya. Bollywood actresses Sonakshi Sinha, Pankaj Tripathi and MP Manoj Tiwari also participated in the grand parade.

New York: The India Day Parade was organized with great zeal and patriotic fervor in New York City on Sunday (local time), with hundreds of people from the Indian diaspora participating in the event. In a video shared by news agency ANI, people can be seen dancing to patriotic songs, carrying Indian flags and playing drums. A carnival float showcasing the Ram temple in Ayodhya was the main attraction of the India Day parade.

During the carnival, religious songs were played as the float moved through the streets. The wooden float mainly depicts the Ram Mandir – a magnificent pink sandstone temple built for Lord Rama in the city of Ayodhya. The entire structure of the Ram temple made of wood was decorated with flowers.

# See | Visuals of the India Day Parade in New York; A carnival float depicting the Ram temple is also a part of the parade pic.twitter.com/EJ25i3JWhy

— ANI (@ANI) 18 August 2024

The 18-feet long, nine-feet wide and eight-feet high float has been extensively carved in India and airlifted to participate in the parade.

An idol of Ram Lalla was unveiled at Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh on January 22 in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The parade marched from Madison Avenue through East 38th Street to East 27th Street in the city. Apart from the parade, there was also a festival with a stage for cultural performances and more than 45 booths and food vendors.

According to the Federation of Indian Associations, the parade had more than 40 floats, more than 50 marching groups and more than 30 marching bands, including celebrities and dignitaries. Bollywood actress Sonakshi Sinha was the grand marshal and guests of honor included Indian actor Pankaj Tripathi and MP Manoj Tiwari.

# See | Actress Sonakshi Sinha and her husband Zaheer Iqbal attended the India Day Parade in New York pic.twitter.com/po3aV5gFpc

— ANI (@ANI) 18 August 2024

Speaking to ANI, Swami Awadheshananda Giri Ji Maharaj said, “I have come to New York to participate in the India Day Parade at the invitation of the Indian-American community. People are excited to participate in the India Day Parade. Here are different charts showing the divine culture of India, our Kalajayi, Mrityunjaya and Sanatana culture and its values. All the tables here are amazing.”

“The tableau which is the float of Ram Mandir has created attraction. The Ram Mandir float shows that Indian culture considers the whole world as one family. He sees only one God in all human beings. And our culture says that one Brahman is all-pervading….We preach Indian equality. We Indians consider the whole world as one family. We pray for the welfare of all Indians. We have gathered here today…. This is the largest and grandest parade in the world and showcases the whole of India,” he added.

A group representing Indian-American Muslims has withdrawn its float from the parade following a controversy over its inclusion of a Ram Mandir float, which it says shows anti-Muslim bias.

A few hours before the parade, Federation of Indian Associations – the group organizing the event, spoke exclusively to ANI and said that the float celebrates an important inauguration that is important for Hindus.

Federation of Indian Associations President Ankur Vaidya said the parade represents the diversity of the country and will feature floats from various communities in India.

“It is a proud moment to gather here with members of our community. I have been volunteering here since 2008 and this year is special. Because we are displaying a replica of Ram Mandir to march on Madison Avenue and inculcate the values ​​of harmony and peace for all. We Hindus pray that Lord Rama should remove all problems. This is a march for goodwill and peace for all,” Vaidya said.

Vaidya further said that preparations for the march are going on in full swing.

“The New York Police Department and the mayor have supported us with the parade for the past 20 years. Avinash Gupta, FIA President, the media, sponsors and participants have been a strong pillar of support in terms of what we endured for something as innocent as trying to display a subtle version of our faith in a very peaceful and law-abiding manner. This is the 42nd National Parade in New York City and the oldest and largest India Day Parade in America,” he said.

Vaidya appealed to all the participants to be calm, peaceful and happy. “I urge all participants to be calm, cool and happy, positive and obey all laws of New York City. Let's have a great parade and make our community, motherland America and motherland India proud,” he said.

The India Day Parade in NYC has been held annually for over four decades to celebrate India's independence. The four-decade-old annual festival in NYC will celebrate the 42nd annual India Divas Parade on New York's busy streets.

Many Indian Americans from different faiths shared their views on the situation with ANI, some protesting the false narrative being spread on social media.

The Federation of Indian Associations of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Northeast America expressed their heartbreak on August 14. He revealed that efforts to plan a peaceful, celebratory gathering in the community met with harsh reviews and negativity on the virtual world of social media. This created a ripple effect, leading to the loss of sponsorship and the spread of hateful online comments that instilled fear among innocent individuals. Moreover, he pointed to the dismissive remarks and apparent silence from public officials and the mainstream media towards the showcase float celebrating a revered Hindu landmark. He expressed concern whether the same rejectionist attitude would be adopted for other religious sites.