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New York: As the iconic Times Square brimmed with hues of the Indian tricolour and fervour in commemoration of India\u2019s 77th Independence day, a 1,800 kg \u2018Chakra\u2019 sculpture, a replica of the famed Konark wheel, was unveiled here to mark the special occasion.<\/p>\n
Members of the Indian-American and diaspora community turned out in large numbers at the popular New York City landmark to celebrate India\u2019s Independence Day on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Consul General of India in New York Randhir Jaiswal unfurled the Indian tricolour at Times Square amid chants of \u2018Bharat Mata ki Jai\u2019, \u2018Vande Matram\u2019 and \u2018Jai Hind\u2019 and patriotic songs as those gathered on the occasion waved the Indian and American flags.<\/p>\n
The flag hoisting ceremony was organised by leading Indian diaspora organisation Federation of Indian Associations \u2013 NY NJ CT NE (FIA) and attended by Sarod maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, Michelin star chef, filmmaker, restaurateur and entrepreneur Vikas Khanna, FIA Chairman Ankur Vaidya, FIA President Kenny Desai and other FIA officials as well as Indo-American Arts Council (IAAC) Board Members Anil Bansal and Rajeev Kaul as well as Vice Chairman Rakesh Kaul.<\/p>\n
On the occasion, Khanna unveiled an especially-made Chakra Sculpture. The Indo-American Arts Council (IAAC), in collaboration with The Consulate General of India in New York and The City of New York, held the Inauguration Ceremony of The Indian Independence Exhibition, showcasing \u201cthe awe-inspiring Chakra Sculpture, a symbol of India\u2019s rich cultural heritage and shared values between the two nations.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are honoured to bring the Konark Chakra to the heart of New York City to celebrate India\u2019s 77th Independence Day. The Chakra or wheel stands as a shining symbol of India\u2019s heritage, thought and timeless wisdom. Through the display of Chakra at Times Square, we not only celebrate the rich culture of India but also the enduring friendship that binds our two nations \u2013 United States and India,\u201d Mr Jaiswal said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis sculpture, a faithful replica of one of the twenty-four Chakras that adorn the Konark Temple dedicated to Surya or the Sun God, carries with it the essence of India\u2019s history, resilience, and unity. It also symbolizes our deep reverence for nature, for the sun,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Khanna, who had been working on bringing the Chakra sculpture to New York City for nearly five years, told PTI that it is a \u201cdream come true\u201d and emotional moment for him to have the sculpture unveiled at Times Square, especially on the occasion of India\u2019s independence day.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is amazing to bring this kind of art, such a strong heritage\u201d to New York City and to showcase to the world the \u201cpower of Indian arts.\u201d The Chakra project was started before the COVID-19 pandemic and artisans have worked with perseverance to complete the project.<\/p>\n
This was made by gods,\u201d\u00a0 Khanna said, standing in front of the massive Chakra as he highlighted the intricate work on the sculpture.<\/p>\n
The sculpture will be moved to Mr Khanna\u2019s upcoming restaurant in New York City.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor the diaspora, for the younger generations, they will get a reference of seeing something from India \u2013 so pure and majestic at the same time,\u201d Mr Khanna said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m so proud to be representing India on August 15 to showcase the artisans and history and culture in this piece of stone which represents the wheel of time. I think this day is gifted to us by ancestors, their sacrifices, their resilience, and the determination that the children will grow up in a free country where they can choose to be anything they want,\u201d Mr Khanna said, adding that \u201cToday, on August 15, we salute all those who stood up for this power and also gave us the vision of future of India.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rajeev Kaul said the Chakra Sculpture\u2019s presence in the heart of Times Square is a \u201ctestament to the enduring friendship and shared values that unite our two nations.\u201d<\/p>\n
he Chakra Sculpture, with dimensions of 8 feet x 6 feet and an approximate weight of 1800 kilograms (4,000 pounds), stands as a testament to the remarkable craftsmanship and artistic ingenuity.<\/p>\n
It is a faithful replica of the Konark Chakra, a revered emblem from the Sun Temple in Konark, Odisha.<\/p>\n
The original Konark Chakra is a meticulously carved stone wheel, one of 24 such wheels adorning the Konark Sun Temple.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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[ad_1] New York: As the iconic Times Square brimmed with hues of the Indian tricolour and fervour in commemoration of India\u2019s 77th Independence day, a 1,800 kg \u2018Chakra\u2019 sculpture, a replica of the famed Konark wheel, was unveiled here to mark the special occasion. Members of the Indian-American and diaspora community turned out in large […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[23],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-5128","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-world"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thenftimes.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5128","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thenftimes.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thenftimes.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thenftimes.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thenftimes.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5128"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/thenftimes.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5128\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5130,"href":"https:\/\/thenftimes.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5128\/revisions\/5130"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thenftimes.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5128"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thenftimes.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5128"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thenftimes.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5128"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}