Puri, June 15: While untimely Rath Yatra & Snana Jatra of Lord Jagannath by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) has drawn criticism worldwide, Puri Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb again raised voice against the monotonic decision.
He urged the ISKCON authorties not to celebrate separte Snana Yatra and Rath Yatra on dates that deviate from the traditional Hindu calendar, violating vedic and scriptural guidelines of Shree Jagannath Temple in Odisha’s Puri.
The Gajapati Maharaj, who is also the chairman of Jagannath temple managing committee (JTMC), has emailed to the ISKCON’s Governing Body Commission chairman Govardhan Das Prabhu, to stop the deferred tradition.
The Gajapati’s letter read, “ The learned scholars of Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (Puri) have thoroughly scrutinised the views put forward by ISKCON scholars at the Scholars Meeting held at Bhubaneswar on March 20, 2025, and have reiterated their definite and firm conclusion that Snana Yatra is to be celebrated only on Jyestha-poornima Tithi (that is, June 11this year); while Rath Yatra is to be performed only during the auspicious nine-days from Asadha Shukla-paksha Dwitiya Tithi to Asadha Shukla-paksha Dashami Tithi.
Performing the most sacred Yatras of the Lord differently on any other tithi/date will is a violation of our sacred scriptures and ancient well-established tradition,” the Gajapati cited.
Thus, he urged the ISKCON not to defer the festival in any way either in the temple or anywhere in the world, conducting Rath Yatra and Snana Yatra on its own.
