Gajapati Maharaja threatens legal action against ISKCON over untimely Rath Yatra

Bhubaneswar, Nov 5: Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb announced on Tuesday that legal measures will be pursued against the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) if they proceed with the planned Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath at an inappropriate time.

This announcement comes amidst significant public outcry regarding ISKCON's scheduled first annual Festival of Bliss, the Sri Jagannath Ratha Yatra, set to take place at American Legion Park in Houston on November 9. Despite the Gajapati’s correspondence with the chairman of ISKCON’s governing body, requesting adherence to the traditional dates for such festivals, the event remains advertised on their website.

During a press conference, the Puri king, who leads the Shree Jagannath Temple Managing Committee, emphasized that straying from established customs deeply offends millions of Jagannath devotees worldwide. While ISKCON had canceled its Snana Yatra plans on November 3, there has been no announcement regarding the Rath Yatra in Houston.

He reiterated that Lord Jagannath should only be taken out of the temple during designated occasions, as stipulated in the Skanda Purana. Gajapati Maharaja noted that ISKCON has been conducting these festivals out of sync with tradition since 1967, with the first event held in San Francisco. Although such practices were halted in India after July 2021, they continue internationally.