Replica Of Nandighosa Rolls In Houston Despite ISKCON’s Promise To Cancel Untimely Rath Yatra

Bhubaneswar: International Society For Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) has again stir a controversy as its scheduled ‘Festival of Bliss’ saw a replica of Lord Jagannath’s Nandighosa chariot being pulled in the US city of Houston on November 9.

Though the procession was carried out without the Chaturdha Murti, Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, Goddess Subhadra and Sudarsan Chakra, the Nandighosha-like chariot albeit smaller in size has led to discontent in Odisha.

Reacting to the incident, Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan said that the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration in Puri will take a decision on the warning earlier issued to ISKCON over conducting untimely Rath Yatra. “The state government will support whatever decision is taken by it,” he told reporters on Sunday (November 10). 

On Tuesday, ISKCON cancelled the proposed untimely Rath Yatra on November 9 while stating that it would instead hold Sankirtan Yatra at the same venue amid backlash from devotees in Odisha. “Respecting the sentiments of Odia devotees of Lord Jagannath, the Houston Rath Yatra is cancelled. They will do Gour Nitai Sankirtan Yatra. National communications director, Yudhistir Govinda Prabhu conveyed this following his discussion with His Grace, Anuttama Prabhu, the member of Iskcon’s governing body commission and minister for communications,” it stated in a press release. 

It had planned to showcase cultural expressions of the joyful and beautiful practice of bhakti-yoga (devotional service), via a chariot parade, yoga classes, kirtan, colour festival and free feast. 

This came hours after Puri Gajapati Divyasingha Deb cautioned about possible legal ramifications if the organisation decides to proceed with its intended plan to organise Rath Yatra in Houston on November 9 and Warri in Nigeria on November 23.

Earlier on October 30, the Puri king had written to the President of ISKCON Temple, Houston, HG Saranga Thakur Dasa, requesting him to celebrate ‘Rath Yatra’ and ‘Snana Yatra’ on “appropriate tithis” as per the Hindu traditions. Though the November 3 Snana Yatra event was subsequently removed from its official website, it continued to feature the post on Rath Yatra under the name ‘Festival of Bliss’ at American Legion Park at 10.30 am.