Giant torch unveiled in US to honour Chinmoy Kumar Ghose

A giant torch was unveiled on 17 April 2014 in honour of Indian spiritual leader Chinmoy Kumar Ghose in New York, USA. Torch unveiled is a replica of the Olympic torch. The 25 foot tall torch was unveiled by Ashrita Furman.

The torch was unveiled to honour the 50 years of Ghose. Chinmoy Kumar Ghose had moved to New York from India in April 1964.

The torch is considered as the world’s largest and a replica of Olympic torch. The huge torch is 11 times larger than the Olympic torch used in the 1998 Winter Olympic games to carry the flame from Athens to Nagano in Japan and weighs 1200 kg.

Furman, who constructed the aluminum and steel torch over three weeks, credited the teachings of Ghose for his inspiration. Through the torch, Furman could make a new Guinness record.

In the peace run torch relay, 50 ambassadors and 300 runners also set a new Guinness record for reciting a poem on peace by the spiritual leader in 206 languages.

The peace run torch relay was founded by Ghose in 1987. Since its inception, the relay has been held across 140 countries.