Spirit of India comes alive in Manhattan

Image: A man waves the tricolour during the parade
Photographs: Paresh Gandhi Suman Guha Mozumder

Thousands of people from New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut jammed the sidewalks of Madison Avenue in Manhattan on Sunday to celebrate India's 62nd year of independence with verve and vigour.

Braving close to 90 degree Fahrenheit temperature, Indian Americans came from all over the tri-state area, including septuagenarians, a few of whom were seated on wheel chairs.

The Federation of Indian Associations (FIA), an umbrella group of cultural, educational and community organisations in the New York tri-state region, organized the parade

Spirit of India comes alive in Manhattan

Image: Colourful floats roll down the street

The parade, an annual event, was organised by the Federation of Indian American Associations.

Since 1980, the parade has been showcasing India's cultural and religious mosaic and the bond Indian Americans feel with their motherland despite living for decades away from the country.

Spirit of India comes alive in Manhattan

Image: A marching band

The parade began on 41st Street, winded down Madison Avenue and culminated in a variety show on 23rd Street, drawing an estimated 50,000 people.

Children perched on the shoulders of their parents so that they could get a better view of the colorful parade.

There were children as well as toddlers in strollers.

Spirit of India comes alive in Manhattan

Image: Actress Shilpa Shetty leads the parade

Following traditions, the FIA had Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty to act as grand marshal. Shilpa flew in from India two days before the event. Past grand marshals include Amitabh Bachhan, Sridevi and Asha Bhosle, among others.

"I am very happy to be here to join with thousands of people in this parade," Shettty said, adding, "It is such a great event."

This year's guest list included New York mayor Michael Bloomberg, New Jersey governor John Corzine, New York Governor David Paterson, and President Bharrat Jagdeo of the Republic of Guyana.

Spirit of India comes alive in Manhattan

Image: Cultural events were a highlight of the parade

There were 37 floats, some of them colorful that attracted the attention of the audience, and more number of marches by different groups, all under the FIA umbrella.

Jay Sean alias Kamaljit Singh Jhooti, a British Pop-singer-songwriter of Indian origin, was a big hit with the teenagers at the parade.

The parade ended with a cultural program at the Madison Square Park in which Aishwarya Majmudar of 'Chote Ustad' (a reality show on Star Plus network) fame took part, among others.

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