ISKCON tells SJTMC 'not possible' to hold Jagannath Rath Yatra on one date across globe

Bhubaneswar, Oct 21 (PTI) The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) has told the Shree Jagannath Temple Managing Committee (SJTMC) chairperson that it would "not be possible" for it to conduct the Rath Yatra on one specific date across the globe.

The SJTMC chairperson, Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb, the titular king of Puri, had earlier written to ISKCON on September to celebrate Shree Jagannath's Snana yatra' (bathing ritual) and Rath yatra across the globe only on specific 'tithi' prescribed by sacred scriptures and tradition.

ISKCON has agreed to celebrate 'Snana yatra' on the prescribed tithi (Jyestha purnima) in all its temples in India and abroad, but did not agree with the decision of SJTMC to celebrate Rath Yatra in countries outside India on the tithi prescribed by scriptures.

"ISKCON GBC chairman Govardhan Das in his letter dated October 19 has informed Deb that while ISKCON has agreed to celebrate Snana-yatra on the prescribed tithi (namely, Jyestha-poornima) in all its temples within India and abroad, it is unable to agree with the decision of SJTMC to celebrate Rath Yatra in countries outside India on the tithi prescribed by scriptures and tradition...," an official release issued by the Gajapati's office said.

ISKCON said, "As far as the dates of international Rath Yatras aligning to the Puri tithi are concerned, we are faced with a number of insurmountable challenges that make it impossible to follow a similar protocol." It said that in most countries outside India, the worship of Lord Jagannath is followed by a small minority of the population, and they are unable to obtain permission for the Rath Yatra freely.

"Most government authorities in the West will only allow processions on weekends to avoid disruption to the commercial functioning of cities," the letter said.

"Even in the event that such permissions were granted on the desired days, majority of volunteers who facilitate the Rath Yatra and participants would be unable to participate as they have professional commitments during the week," the ISKCON said, adding that most of the temples in the western countries also do not have their own chariots, so the same chariot often travels from city to city in the region to facilitate the festival.

The ISKCON also said that due to the variation of climates, some cities of the world are in the middle of cold winters during the months in which the Ratha Yatra tithi falls.

"If Ratha Yatras all over the world were somehow to be held on the same tithi, it would also deprive many devotees from attending the sacred festival in Sri Dham Jagannath Puri," the ISKCON said.

Meanwhile, the SJTMC chairperson on Tuesday expressed concern over Iskcon holding Rath Yatra on different dates and again requested it to reconsider the decision.

Deb, in a letter to Das, said, "I sincerely urge you to reconsider your decision and advise ISKCON temples to celebrate Jagannath Rath Yatra around the world only during the nine-day auspicious period commencing on Asadha Shukla-paksha Dvitiya Tithi in accordance with the sacred scriptures and ancient well-established tradition." In the letter, he stated that when Mahashivaratri, Shree Krishna Janmashtami, Shree Ramanavami, Shree Ganesh Chaturthi, Holi, Diwali, Durga Pujа, Dussehra, Vasant Panchami, Makara-sankranti, Guru Purnima and others are celebrated all over the world on specific tithis sanctioned by sacred scriptures and tradition, there is no valid point to hold Lord Jagannath's Rath yatra on different dates.

He also said that even in other major world religions, holy festivals are celebrated according to lunar calendar/dates sanctioned by sacred scriptures and tradition, whether it be Christmas or Eid-al Fitr, Wesak (Buddha Day) or Paryushan Mahaparva (Jainism), Yom Kippur celebrated by Jews or Vaisakhi celebrated by Sikh community.

"The auspicious dates for celebrating these sacred festivals are never altered on the ground of climatic conditions, local customs, opportunity for greater religious propagation and prasad distribution, adherence to the advice of Guru or Acharya or on any other ground whatsoever. There can therefore be no valid justification for celebrating Rath Yatra on just about any day of the year on one pretext or another," Deb said in the letter. PTI AAM AAM RG