ISKCON has announced the cancellation of its planned Rath Yatra in Houston, originally scheduled for November 9, due to growing controversy surrounding the timing of the event.
Tukaram Das, Vice President of ISKCON Bhubaneswar, stated in a press release, “Respecting the sentiments of Odia devotees of Bhagwan Jagannath, the Houston Rath Yatra is cancelled.”
He added that devotees will instead hold a Gour Nitai Sankirtan Yatra. This information was conveyed by National Communications Director Yudhistir Govinda Prabhu, following discussions with His Grace Anuttama Prabhu, a member of ISKCON’s Governing Body Commission and GBC Minister for Communications.
Tukaram Das explained the difficulties of observing Rath Yatra according to the traditional Hindu lunar calendar (tithi) in foreign countries. “In India, we manage to observe the tithi. However, we haven’t been able to achieve the same internationally,” he said. He identified two key challenges: climate and fixed festival dates. “In some places, like Siberia and certain parts of the U.S., temperatures can drop to -20 or -30 degrees Celsius during Rath Yatra, making it difficult to observe the tithi. Additionally, fixed dates for festivals have been customary in many foreign countries for over 50 years.”
Tukaram Das added that he has approached Gajapati Maharaj, the traditional chief servitor of Bhagwan Jagannath, to discuss the possibility of having the Central government encourage foreign governments to observe Rath Yatra according to the lunar calendar, allowing the festival to be held as per tithi abroad.
ISKCON’s decision to cancel the Rath Yatra came just hours after Bhagwan Jagannath’s adya sevak and Puri Gajapati Maharaj Dibyasingha Deb warned that legal action would be considered as a last resort if the event proceeded.
It is noteworthy that on Tuesday, Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb announced that legal action would be taken against the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) if they continued to hold Bhagwan Jagannath’s Rath Yatra outside the traditionally prescribed dates.
Gajapati Maharaja, who also chairs the Shree Jagannath Temple Managing Committee, urged the organisation to ensure that its global centres adhere to the correct dates for Rath Yatra and Snana Yatra, as established by tradition and scripture.
During a press conference, Gajapati Maharaj remarked that any deviation from these dates profoundly affects millions of Jagannath devotees worldwide. “While ISKCON has cancelled plans to conduct Snana Yatra on November 3, there has been no update regarding the November 9 Rath Yatra in Houston. Bhagwan Jagannath should only leave the temple premises for Snana Yatra and Rath Yatra, as prescribed in the Skanda Purana. ISKCON is welcome to promote Vaishnavism globally but should avoid disrupting traditional observances,” he emphasised.
The Puri King expressed, “We are very patient, and we must continue to exercise that patience a bit longer. I am hopeful they will respect the tradition. We wish to resolve this issue peacefully and amicably. We prefer to reach an understanding through logic and scripture. However, if that doesn’t happen, ‘enough is enough.’ We will pursue legal recourse if needed.”
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