SJTA To Urge ISKCON To Drop Untimely Rath Yatra Plan In USA: Odisha Minister

Bhubaneswar: With International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) planning untimely Rath Yatra in the US, Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) will hold talks with the chiefs of the society in India over the issue as the move has annoyed devotees of Lord Jagannath in Odisha and outside.

Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan said on Monday that SJTA will hold talks with the functionaries of ISKCON India over its Houston unit’s move to organise Snana Yatra and Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath and siblings in the US next month.

The Minister stated this after a delegation of several organisations met him and sought the state government’s intervention in the sensible matter.

The chiefs of ISKCON in India will be urged to take steps to ensure that their Houston unit does not deviate from the rituals of Lord Jagannath. They will be asked to strictly follow the specific dates meant for the rituals, he said.

“The SJTA authorities will hold talks with the ISKCON and I hope a positive result will emerge,” the Minister said.

It may be noted that the Houston unit of ISKCON has been accused of deviating from the Jagannath culture by organising untimely ‘Snana Yatra’ and ‘Rath Yatra’ in the United States.

As per a release published on the website of the Houston unit of ISKCON, the society is planning to organise ‘Snana Yatra’ of the Holy Trinity on November 3 and the Rath Yatra on November 9.

This move to hold the divine rituals of Lord Jagannath and siblings untimely has drawn sharp reaction from lakhs of devotees.