Puri Gajapati Urges ISKCON to Align Rath Yatra Dates with Jagannath Temple Traditions

Bhubaneswar: Puri Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb has once again appealed to the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) to observe Rath Yatra in accordance with the traditional schedule followed by the Shree Jagannath Temple, Puri.

In a fresh letter addressed to Gobardhan Das, President of the ISKCON Governing Body Commission (GBC), the Gajapati Maharaja urged the organisation to reconsider its decision to hold Rath Yatra on dates differing from the temple’s traditional calendar.

He emphasised that all ISKCON temples across India should conduct Rath Yatra within the nine-day period starting from Ashadha Shukla Dwitiya, as prescribed by sacred scriptures and long-standing temple traditions.

The Gajapati, who also serves as the Chairman of the Shree Jagannath Temple Managing Committee, expressed deep concern that ISKCON’s deviation from the scripturally sanctioned observance of Mahaprabhu Jagannath’s Rath Yatra has hurt the sentiments of millions of devotees and undermines Odisha’s spiritual heritage.

According to Radhakrushna Panda, Personal Secretary to the Gajapati, a formal communication was earlier sent on September 6 to ISKCON’s GBC President at Mayapur, West Bengal, conveying the temple committee’s final directive that all ISKCON temples, both in India and abroad, observe Snana Yatra and Rath Yatra strictly on the prescribed tithis.

In reply, ISKCON’s GBC President, through a letter dated September 19, stated that while ISKCON temples would follow the traditional Snana Yatra on Jyeshtha Purnima, they could not adhere to the same Rath Yatra schedule for temples outside India.

Taking serious note of this, the Gajapati Maharaja has now reiterated his stance, appealing to ISKCON to respect the sanctity of Jagannath culture, uphold scriptural traditions, and ensure that the Rath Yatra is conducted in harmony with the Puri temple calendar.