The first Jharna-Kala Parade is held on Madison Ave in New York.
Jharna-Kala Parade in New York City
Braving freezing winds and near 0˚C temperatures, a Jharna-Kala parade is held in New York City to celebrate and honour Sri Chinmoy’s completion of 10,000 paintings in 100 days.
One lane of Madison Avenue is blocked off to make way for balloon-decked police cars, horses, drill teams, flags, banners, clowns, flower-covered floats with large reproductions of paintings, and even a unicyclist. Along the way, spectators are offered balloons and flowers and lots of goodwill.
At 2:00 p.m., the parade proceeds up Madison Avenue from 59th Street and turns towards Central Park at 72nd for a free concert by Mahavishnu John McLaughlin and Devadip Carlos Santana. Over two thousand enthusiastic listeners attend, many of whom had thronged around the float on which the musicians had played throughout the parade.
At Central Park, Sri Chinmoy walks on stage to meditate with Mahavishnu and Devadip and bless them.