ewor est res ower

Perth locals help create a new Guinness World Record in honour of Indian spiritual leader Sri Chinmoy

Anew record for the World's Longest Fresh Flower Garland was sec on a sunn y afternoon in Queens, New York recently. The record was inspired by Ash 1jrn Furman, holder of 206 current Guinness Records, and over 200 meditation students of Sri Chinmoy from 35 countries, including Australia and India, aiming to honour Sri Chiomoy's 50 years of work for world peace.

The garland, which consisted of 185, 000 carnations of various colours, was 7.87 kilometres long. It surpassed the previous record of a 5km garland which was sec b y a team in India just four

RLD'S L oNGES RLAND

In Honour of Sri Chinmoy's 50 Yea rs of Servi ce to Worl d Peace months after Asbrita had broken the record with a 3.2 km garland in 20 11. The first record of a 2.5 km garland was seL by a group in Tahiti.

Perth locals Anubha Baird and HascakamaJa Diaz attended the record attempt and helped make the garland.

"The atmosphere was really divine," Anubha said. "Everyone was woi-king together with a feel.ing of self-g iv ing and it was reall y inspiring".

"It was nice being part of a world record," 1-lastakarnala said "Sri Chinmoy felt individuals' hearts are like a Aower chat can offer its fragrance to the world for its improvement, so it was nice to work w ith such a big garland".

Ashrira Furman worked for tliree months with Aower farms in Soutl1 America and gatl1ered a ream from all over the world to p lan tbe assemb ly of tbe garland.

The 180,000 carnations were Aown from the high pl ateau of Bogota Savannah io Colombia co Miam i airport and tl1en were transported in a truck co a refrigerated warehouse near

John F. Kennedy A.irporc, where Ashrita's helpers picked them up.

Furman and his team worked on the field from 7am until 2pm to c reate the longest garland in the world His assi stants made one metre flower strings, each consisting of about 20 carnations, which were put into boxes The boxes were carri ed to different locations on the field where the ends of che strings of flowers were graduall)' connected together.

The attempt was inspired by Sri Chitull O)', a renowned peace visionary, who founded the Oneness -Home Peace Run, the world's largest torch relay for peace. Sri Chinmoy loved flowers and the purit)' they represented.

"Because of your heart's gratitude-leaf, you are divi nely good," he once poetically uttered.

"Because of your life's s1u-renderAower, you are supremely perfect''