Gajapati, ISKCON Meet In Odisha’s Puri To Resolve ‘Untimely Rath Yatra’ Issue

Puri: Gajapati Maharaj Dibyasingha Deb, who is the chairman of Shree Jagannath Temple managing committee, has urged International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) to organise Rath Yatra on scripturally sanctioned dates.

On Monday, the Puri king held talks with ISKCON Governing Body Commission Chairman Guru Prasad Swami Maharaj & other senior functionaries at his palace. Chief administration of Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) Arabinda Padhee, Odisha ISKCON’s Director Premananda Das Maharaj and Regional Director Bhubaneswar Banamali Chandra Das were present.

It was decided that a meeting would be convened within a month to take a decision on conducting Rath Yatra on a particular ‘tithi’ (date). It will be attended by prominent researchers of Jagannath culture, scholars and ISKCON officials. The ISKCON functionaries will also place a proposal in this regard in their next governing body meeting in February.

“ISKCON is going to have a governing body commission meeting in February 2025. In this meeting, their issues relating to global affairs are discussed. In that meeting, they will raise the Rath Yatra issue and place our request. We have told them in detail that nothing should be done to tarnish the tradition of Srimandir. We have also elucidated that our ‘puranas’ have mentions of ‘tithi’ for Rath Yatra. So, ‘Gundicha Yatra’ or ‘Ghosha Yatra’ shouldn’t be held on any other day. On behalf of the temple administration, we requested them to refrain from holding untimely Rath Yatra,” said Padhee.

In November, ISKCON organised a ‘parade’, featuring a replica of Lord Jagannath’s ‘Nandighosa’ chariot without the deities as part of its ‘Festival of Bliss’ in Houston, US, despite an assurance that it would host a Sankirtan Yatra instead of the untimely Rath Yatra., triggering strong backlash from devotees and authorities in Odisha.

Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan had then said the SJTA would make a decision on the matter and it had the backing of the state government on it.

Later in a statement uploaded on its website, Houston ISKON chief Saranga Thakur Dasa said the temple had initially planned the chariot parade with the deities. “However, there was a concern raised by some of our friends in the local community, so we decided to make a slight change of plans,” it said.

It further stated that darshan of Lord Jagannath by festival attendees is a central feature of the event for ISKCON, while for others compliance to ancient tradition and calendars is the priority

“We understand there is a meeting planned in India next month between ISKCON and Puri officials to discuss these points in detail, and to seek mutual agreement whereby – as much as possible – the traditional calendar as well as the Lord’s desire for people all over the world to have His darshan and participate in His festivals can be honoured,” it added.