New York: People in large numbers participated in the India Day Parade held in New York, US. A carnival float featuring Ram Mandir was also part of the parade.

Patriotic songs were played as the people participated in the India Day Parade. People carried Indian flags and were seen playing Dhols and dancing as they participated in the parade.

Religious songs were played as the float moved on the roads during the carnival. The float, made of wood, largely depicts the Ram Mandir -- a grand pink sandstone temple built for Lord Ram in the city of Ayodhya. The whole structure of Ram Temple, which was made of wood, was decorated with flowers.

The 18-foot long, nine-foot wide and eight-foot height float has largely been carved out in India and has been shipped by air cargo to participate in the parade.

The Ram Lalla idol was unveiled at the Pran Pratishtha ceremony after the hour-long rituals in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi who led the ceremony on January 22 in Uttar Pradesh's Ayodhya.

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

According to the Federation of Indian Associations, the parade featured more than 40 floats, over 50 marching groups and over 30 marching bands, along with celebrities and dignitaries. Bollywood actress Sonakshi Sinha was the grand marshal, and the guests of honour included Indian actor Pankaj Tripathi and Member of Parliament Manoj Tiwari.

Speaking to ANI, Swami Avdheshanand 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 enthusiastic as they participate in the India Day Parade. Different tableaus featuring India's divine culture, our Kalajayi, Mrityunjaya, and Sanatan culture, and its values are seen here. All tableaus are very wonderful here."

"The tableau which has float of Ram Mandir, has gathered attraction. Ram Mandir's float showcases that India's culture considers the whole world as a family. It sees only one God in all the human beings. And our culture says that only one Brahma is all-encompassing....We Indians give the message of equality. We Indians consider the whole world as a family. We Indians pray for everyone's welfare. We are gathered here today....This is the biggest and largest parade in the world and showcases the whole of India," he added.

A group representing Indian American Muslims withdrew its float from the Parade following controversy over the inclusion of the Ram Mandir float they say shows anti-Muslim bias.

Just hours before the parade, the Federation of Indian Associations -- the group that is organising the event spoke exclusively to ANI and said that the float celebrates the inauguration of a landmark significant to Hindus.

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

"It is a proud moment to be gathering here with members of our community. I have been volunteering here since 2008 and this year is special. It's because we're displaying a replica of the Ram Temple to march down Madison Avenue instilling the values of harmony and peace for all. We Hindus pray that all problems disappear by Lord Ram. This is a march for goodwill and peace for all," Vaidya said.

Vaidya added that the preparations for the march were in full swing.

"The New York Police Department and the Mayor have supported us in terms of the parade for the last 20 years. Avinash Gupta, the President of the FIA, the media, sponsors and participants have been a strong pillar of support in terms of what we have endured for something as innocent as trying to display a miniature version of our faith very peacefully and as law-abiding citizens. This is the 42nd parade in New York City, and is the oldest and the largest India Day parade in the US," he said.

Vaidya urged all participants to be calm, peaceful and happy. "I urge all participants to be calm, peaceful and happy, positive and abide by all laws of New York City. Let's have a great parade and make our community, homeland of the US and motherland India proud," he said.

The India Day parade in NYC has been taking place every year for over four decades, to mark the celebration of India's independence. The four-decade-old annual celebration in NYC will celebrate the 42nd Annual India Day Parade on the busy streets of New York.

Several Indian Americans from different faiths shared their views with ANI about the situation, with some condemning the false narratives being spread on social media.

In a statement on August 14, the Federation of Indian Associations NY-NJ-CT-NE said, "We find ourselves under heavy scrutiny for organizing a peaceful community celebration that our dedicated volunteers have worked tirelessly to prepare. This malicious and hate-filled scrutiny, spread on social media, has resulted in the loss of sponsorships--the lifeblood of our event--and in fear-mongering, causing law-abiding citizens to worry about potential unruly conduct due to the hateful messages circulating online."

"Our inclusion of a float that celebrates the inauguration of a sacred landmark, significant to hundreds of millions of Hindus has been insulted by derogatory name calling and the officials and the mainstream is radio silent. I respectfully ask, would such name-calling be tolerated if directed at any other community's place of worship? The answer is unequivocally no," the statement further said.

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