Puri: The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) in Puri on Monday strongly opposed the proposed celebration of an untimely Rath Yatra and Netrotsav at Hapur in Uttar Pradesh.
The SJTA pointed out that the festivals linked to Lord Jagannath must be observed on traditionally sanctioned dates as per religious scriptures, customs and traditions followed by the 12th century Puri temple.
According to reports media reports, a local organisation named Bhagwan Shree Jagannatha Ratha Yatra Seva Samiti in UP’s Hapur has planned to organise Netrotsav on June 13, and Ratha Yatra on June 14.
Reacting sharply to the reported move, Chief Administrator of SJTA Arabinda Padhee has written to the District Magistrate of Hapur. The SJTA chief urged the authorities to intervene and stop the observance of the rituals on dates that do not align with the traditional Hindu calendar and prescribed Puri temple customs.
The Hapur district administration has been urged to ensure that the organisers refrain from holding the festivals on non-sanctioned dates. Any deviation from the approved ritual calendar could hurt the religious sentiments of millions of Jagannath devotees across India and abroad, SJTA said.
Padhee said the temple’s managing committee, headed by the Gajapati Maharaja of Puri, has already passed a formal resolution opposing the untimely celebration of Ratha Yatra and Netrotsav festivals.
According to the official temple calendar for the current year, Netrotsav of Lord Jagannath is scheduled to be observed on July 14, while Rath Yatra is scheduled for July 16. The SJTA said these dates have been determined according to age-old rituals and scriptural traditions followed at the Puri Jagannath Temple.
