NYC’s India Day Parade is today. Here are street closures, the route and more details.

NEW YORK – The India Day Parade returns to New York City for its 42nd year today.

The parade stepped off at noon.

What to see at NYC India Day Parade and Festival

According to the Federation of Indian Associations, the parade will feature over 40 floats, over 50 marching groups and over 30 marching bands, along with celebrities and dignitaries. Indian actress Sonakshi Sinha will be the grand marshal, and the guests of honor are Indian actor Pankaj Tripathi and Indian Bhojpuri superstar Manoj Tiwari.

In addition to the parade, there will also be a festival with a stage for cultural performances and over 45 booths and food vendors.

Map shows NYC India Day Parade route, festival area

The parade marches down Madison Avenue from East 38th Street to East 27th Street.

Events on the cultural stage can be viewed from the audience area on East 25th Street at Madison Avenue.

Food vendors and other booths will line East 26th Street from Madison Avenue to Park Avenue, as well as Madison Avenue from East 26th Street to East 25th Street.

NYC India Day Parade street closures on Sunday

The following streets will be closed for the India Day Parade and festival on Sunday:

• 37th Street and 38th Street between Park Avenue and 5th Avenue
• Madison Avenue between 38th Street and 27th Street
• 27th Street between Park Avenue South and 5th Avenue
• Madison Avenue between 24th Street and 26th Street
• 26th Street between Madison Avenue and Park Avenue South

Controversial float at India Day Parade

A parade float that celebrates a Hindu temple built over a razed mosque in India is being criticized as anti-Muslim.

The Indian American Muslim Council and other faith-based groups have called on parade organizers to remove a float featuring the Ram Mandir, saying the temple is considered a symbol glorifying the destruction of mosques and violence against Muslims in the South Asian nation.

Hindus make up about 80% of India’s population, but the country is also home to about 200 million Muslims who have frequently come under attack by Hindu nationalists.

Parade organizers have rejected calls to remove the float, saying it celebrates the inauguration of a sacred landmark that is significant to hundreds of millions of Hindus.