Bhubaneswar: Puri’s titular king Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb has again written to President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging them to intervene into holding of untimely Rath Yatra and Snana Yatra by International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON).
In his letter, the Puri king expressed grave concern over ISKCON organising off-schedule flouting Puri Jagannath temple traditions. He said holding these rituals in an arbitrary manner violates the sanctity of Lord Jagannath and hurts the religious sentiments of devotees worldwide.
The Puri King stated that organising Snana Yatra and Rath Yatra on dates other than the prescribed tithi hurts the religious sentiments of millions of Jagannath devotees across the world.
The Gajapati Maharaja sought an appointment with the President to discuss the matter in detail. He also sought the Prime Minister’s direct intervention to stop these practices.
He was of the view that ISKCON’s foreign celebrations of Snana Yatra and Rath Yatra disregard centuries-old customs and create confusion among devotees.
The Puri King stressed that the purity of Mahaprabhu Jagannath must be preserved at all costs, and urged for urgent action to halt these unauthorised rituals and safeguard the spiritual heritage of Odisha.
It may be noted that the Gajapati had three days ago written to ISKCON’s Governing Body Commission expressing his strong displeasure over the practice. He urged the organisation to ensure that Snana Yatra and Rath Yatra are observed strictly according to the prescribed tithi and simultaneously with the celebrations held at the Jagannath Temple in Puri.
The fresh appeal comes after ISKCON reportedly organised untimely Rath Yatra celebrations on July 4 and 5 at 11 locations across Canada, the United States, Europe, England and Africa.
