Bhubaneswar: Already under attack over untimely car festival, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) has come under fresh criticism after referring to Goddess Subhadra as “Smt Subhadra Devi” in a social media post about the Rath Yatra.
The post has sparked a fresh row with devotees of Lord Jagannath and researchers strongly objecting to the manner in which Goddess Subhadra has been described. They are of the opinion that the wording does not align with the traditional Jagannath culture.
In a post on X, ISKCON wrote: “The Rath Yatra is a divine pastime of Lord Jagannath who along with Lord Balabhadra and Smt Subhadra Devi come out on their chariot to bestow their darshan and blessings on to one and all.”
As the post triggered criticism from several quarters, many were of the view that the description was inappropriate in the context of the Jagannath tradition.
Internationally acclaimed sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik also took strong objection to the post and urged ISKCON to modify the wording.
“I would like to inform ISKCON my observation regarding the Rath Jatra message. It mentions ‘Smt Subhadra Devi.’ In the Jagannath tradition, the devotees address Her as ‘Maa Subhadra Devi’ with deep reverence. I humbly request that this wording be reviewed and updated to better reflect the devotional culture and tradition of Mahaprabhu Shree Jagannath. Kindly follow the Shree Jagannath Mahaprabhu tradition and culture,” Sudarsan said in his response.
The fresh controversy cropped up at a time when ISKCON is already under flak from devotees across Odisha and beyond for organising Rath Yatra celebrations in different parts of the world on dates that do not align with the traditional car festival of Lord Jagannath and siblings in Puri.
Jai Jagannath 🙏
I would like to informer @iskcon my observation regarding the Rath Jatra message. It mentions “Smt Subhadra Devi.” In the Jagannath tradition, the devotees address Her as “Maa Subhadra Devi” with deep reverence. I humbly request that this wording be reviewed and… https://t.co/FMJek97hPk— Sudarsan Pattnaik (@sudarsansand) July 14, 2026
