Sumangali.org: In The Spirit Of Serendipity

Most people would have to wait until their 48,000th birthday to have this many candles on their cake, but not spiritual teacher Sri Chinmoy.

Ashrita Furman is one of Sri Chinmoy’s students, and also (not-so-coincidentally) happens to hold the Guinness World Record for holding the most Guinness World Records. This 48,000-candle cake was his 86th record, a symbol of gratitude to Sri Chinmoy on what would have been his 77th birthday.

Sri Chinmoy, who passed away last October, advocated self-transcendence — going beyond one’s own perceived boundaries in any field, competing with oneself rather than with others for self-improvement. This latest record by Ashrita and friends is literally a glowing example of such a philosophy!

On the 27th of August an international team of 200, led by Ashrita, spent many hours counting and placing 48,523 candles on the 52 x 17 foot cake. Near midnight 80 assistants lined up around the cake with blow torches, knowing they had a span of only 2 minutes to ensure all their candles were alight simultaneously.

I was fortunate enough to be standing only a few feet away in the intense heat and electrifying atmosphere. Multi-coloured wax poured off the cake in strange rivers under the table, and I realised only then how fine the timing was.

The assistants had a large and dense rectangle of candles each to light, as they could not feasibly stand closer to one another whilst wielding blow torches. As they started near the centre of the cake and worked steadily towards themselves on the outside of it, the lit candles melted rapidly. The first would burn out soon after the last ones were lit, so the window of time in which the world record could be claimed was very slim.

Not only did they need a steady hand and nerves of steel, but a decent pair of lungs; as the whoops of success went up, each assistant had the job of blowing out all of his own candles! (I hope they remembered to make a wish.)

At the height of this spectacle, strings of sparklers went off along the back of a huge arch adorned with pictures of a smiling Sri Chinmoy. Meanwhile the audience of around 1100 sang “Happy Birthday”.

Visit Ashrita.com for more of Ashrita’s latest escapades, including slicing apples mid-air and drinking Tabasco sauce. “Don’t try this at home”, as they say! Previous records to honour Sri Chinmoy’s birthday include constructing the world’s largest pencil (76 feet), building a 20-foot high cake and assembling the largest flower bouquet (101,791 roses)

Photos by Susameepan Kalbitzer, Piyasi Morris and Jowan Gauthier (click images to see close-ups)

Sri Chinmoy recently visited Thailand during his annual harmony and humanitarian travels, and decided to lift some elephants while he was there.

A champion decathlete in his youth, Sri Chinmoy later took up weightlifting, and is still weightlifting at age 75. His aim is not to compete with others, but simply to inspire others to transcend their boundaries. In his own words:

“I am a man of prayer and meditation. I feel inspiration is of paramount importance. If I can inspire someone, and if that person also can inspire me, then we can do many good things for the betterment of this world.”

The elephant is the symbol of Thailand, and certainly a symbol of strength, so it seemed the most appropriate way for Sri Chinmoy to honour the country and to offer his goodwill. He started with 3 baby elephants, the heaviest being 1,074 pounds (including apparatus). Next came mature elephants from over 4,000 pounds to the heaviest elephant he has ever lifted: a 8,046 pound female carrying a mahout (8,622 pounds including apparatus). The park’s owner said:

“This lift by Sri Chinmoy is the reason my wife and I started the elephant camp 12 years ago, because he is showing that we can succeed at anything that is good for life on this planet.”

According to British weightlifting expert Jim Smith, this last lift is one of the heaviest calf raises ever recorded. You can read the full story at SriChinmoyCentre.org

Ashrita Furman—who holds the Guinness World Record for holding the most Guinness World Records—was also there, and couldn’t resist the opportunity to attempt the most squat thrusts in a minute, but of course on the back of an elephant. You can read all about it at Ashrita.com.

Elephant, my elephant,
You are strength,
Reality’s strength.
Your solid strength
And conscious willingness
Can and shall lead the world
To Infinity’s endless length.
—Sri Chinmoy, Animal Kingdom

In recent years Sri Chinmoy has honoured thousands of people in his Lifting Up The World With A Oneness-Heart programme. In September last year he had a 3-day weightlifting celebration, during which he lifted airplanes, huge boulders, a car, a giant pumpkin and 2002 World’s Strongest Man Hugo Girard of Canada: a total weight of 111,524 pounds. “The most amazing feats of strength” 5-time Mr.Universe and fitness expert Bill Pearl had ever seen. You can view clips at SriChinmoy.tv. You can read more about Sri Chinmoy’s sporting life at SriChinmoyCentre.org

Image source: Projjwal Pohland