30 December
Record breaking adventures...with popcorn!
Colm Magee and Ambarish Keenan were amongst a team drawn from over 20 countries around the world aiming to break the 20-foot record mark for the tallest popcorn structure by a whole seven meters. The aim: to create a 27-foot high cake by August 27, in time to present to renowned spiritual teacher Sri Chinmoy on the occasion of his 75th birthday, made only out of popcorn bound together with dissolved sugar and palmoil.
The 55-strong team spent more almost two weeks constructing the 5440kg structure, dealing with problems ranging from trying to source enough popcorn, to very un-New York rain showers which made working conditions very difficult indeed during the final stages of construction. The cake itself was five layers high, and was topped with a popcorn statue by noted sculptor, Kaivalya Torpy.
The cake was built during a gathering of 1,500 of Sri Chinmoy's students in New York, one of the thrice-yearly opportunities for students to visit their teacher in his home town. Around this time, there are meditation functions twice a day, but also musical performances, inspiring plays, in fact there's something going on to suit every musical, artistic or athletic temperament.
This is not the first time members of the Dublin Sri Chinmoy Centre have helped Ashrita in his record-breaking quest:
- In August 2005, Ambarish and Colm were joined by Colm's brother, Shane , as they helped to light the most candles on a birthday cake (27,000).
- In August 2004 Shane helped to construct the largest bouquet of flowers ever created (101,000 roses).
Related links
- Ashrita's website - including a recent blog where he describes his latest feats!
- blog entry about the cake by Shardul Dillicar from New Zealand
- Picture gallery by Jowan Gauthier
Stories
First-hand experiences of meditation and spirituality.
Meditation: Touching The Infinite
Jogyata Dallas Auckland, New Zealand
Sri Chinmoy's opening meditation at the Parliament of World Religions
Pradhan Balter Chicago, United States
It does not matter which spoon you use
Brahmacharini Rebidoux St. John's, Canada
Meeting Sri Chinmoy for the first time
Janaka Spence Edinburgh, United Kingdom
The day I made a useless and ridiculous weightlifting machine for Guru
Devashishu Torpy London, United Kingdom
Muhammad Ali: I was expecting a monster, but I found a lamb
Sevananda Padilla San Juan, Puerto Rico
Your life's responsibilities compel you to develop inner strength
Pradhan Balter Chicago, United States
The first time that I really understood that I had a soul
Jogyata Dallas Auckland, New Zealand
My love of spiritual poetry
Manatita Hutchinson London, United Kingdom
Sri Chinmoy meets St. Peter
Paramita Jarvis Kingston, Canada
'I could find out myself, but it was so much easier asking your soul'
Mridanga Spencer Ipswich, United Kingdom
A vision at 3 a.m in the morning
Abarita Dänzer Zürich, Switzerland
How I learned from Sri Chinmoy
Pradhan Balter Chicago, United StatesSuggested videos
interviews with Sri Chinmoy's students
A direct line to God
Vajra Henderson New York, United States
My typical day
Pranlobha Kalagian Seattle, United States
When I met Sri Chinmoy for the first time
Baridhi Yonchev Sofia, Bulgaria
How meditation helped me swim the English Channel
Abhejali Bernardova Zlín, Czech Republic
An airport meditation experience
Jogyata Dallas Auckland, New Zealand
Beginnings of a spiritual journey
Mahatapa Palit New York, United States
No prior experience needed
Samalya Schafer Berlin, Germany
Except where explicitly stated otherwise, the contents of this site are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. read more »
SriChinmoyCentre.org is a Vasudeva Server project.