Puri, July 13: Renowned sand artist and Padma Shri awardee Sudarsan Pattnaik has expressed strong objection to ISKCON Toronto's decision to organise Rath Yatra on a date that does not coincide with the traditional Hindu calendar observance.

Taking to social media, Pattnaik urged ISKCON to respect the centuries-old traditions of the Jagannath Temple in Puri and hold the festival on the prescribed sacred tithi instead of an "off-date.”

In his post, Pattnaik said it was unfortunate that the Rath Yatra was being organised on a non-auspicious date despite repeated objections raised in the past. He appealed to the organisation to honour the established traditions associated with Lord Jagannath and conduct the festival in accordance with the temple's religious customs.

He stressed that the Rath Yatra is deeply rooted in the rituals and traditions of the Shree Jagannath Temple and should be observed on the designated sacred day as prescribed by the temple calendar.

Pattnaik also appealed to ISKCON to respect the age-old religious practices and sentiments of millions of Jagannath devotees across the world by aligning its celebrations with the traditional observance of the Rath Yatra.

The issue of ISKCON organising Rath Yatra on dates different from the one observed at the Jagannath Temple in Puri has sparked debate on several occasions in recent years, with servitors, scholars and devotees urging the organisation to follow the temple's established traditions.