SJTA to meet Prez, PM in bid to stop Iskcon from holding untimely raths abroad

Bhubaneswar: The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) on Friday said a delegation from the shrine will soon meet President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to seek their intervention in preventing International Society for Krishna Consciousness (Iskcon) from organising Rath Yatra celebrations abroad on dates different from the one in Puri.The delegation is expected to plan its visit after the Niladri Bije festival on July 27, marking the conclusion of the annual Rath Yatra.The issue was discussed at the temple managing committee meeting chaired by Puri king Gajapati Dibyasingha Deb. “The Gajapati and other members expressed strong displeasure over Iskcon and other organisations conducting Rath Yatra abroad on untimely dates despite repeated appeals and letters. The committee has resolved to send a delegation to the President, Prime Minister, and others holding high offices to persuade Iskcon to synchronise their celebrations with the official calendar of the Puri temple, the principal abode of Lord Jagannath, thereby ensuring uniformity in observance of the sacred festival,” Padhee said.He added that the committee will also request the state govt to take up the matter with the Centre through official channels. “Recently, we successfully persuaded two temples — one in Uttar Pradesh and another in Punjab — to align their Rath Yatra schedules with Puri’s calendar. While deviations are rare within India, violations of tradition and scriptures linked to Jagannath Temple and Rath Yatra are frequently seen abroad,” Padhee said.Over the past year, the Puri king and SJTA have spearheaded a campaign urging Jagannath temples worldwide to follow the Puri shrine’s official schedule. The Odia diaspora abroad has also voiced strong opposition to celebrations on non-traditional dates.The Gajapati has written letters to the highest offices, including Prime Minister Modi on Oct 24, 2025, and President Murmu on April 20, urging intervention. He requested that the matter be taken up with foreign govts through diplomatic channels to ensure Iskcon temples worldwide align their observances with Puri’s tradition.Earlier, on Sept 6, 2025, Deb wrote to Iskcon, urging it to avoid observing Snan Yatra and Rath Yatra on different dates. In its reply on Oct 19, Iskcon cited practical challenges, including difficulties in securing permissions from authorities abroad, noting that Jagannath devotees often form a “small minority” in foreign countries, making approvals for processions harder to obtain.