Bhubaneswar: The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) has strongly objected to the proposed observance of Netrotsav and Rath Yatra on “untimely” dates in Uttar Pradesh’s Hapur district, stating that the sacred festivals associated with Bhagwan Jagannath must be celebrated strictly in accordance with traditional rituals, scriptural prescriptions, and the religious calendar followed at the Puri Jagannath Mandir.
The controversy emerged after reports surfaced that a local organisation, Bhagaban Shree Jagannatha Ratha Yatra Seva Samiti in Hapur, plans to hold Netrotsav on June 13, 2026, and Rath Yatra on June 14, 2026. The SJTA has termed the proposed schedule a violation of established temple traditions and warned that such deviations could hurt the religious sentiments of millions of Jagannath devotees in India and abroad.
In response to the reports, SJTA Chief Administrator Dr Arabinda Kumar Padhee, IAS, wrote to the District Magistrate and Collector of Hapur, Ms Kavita Meena, IAS, requesting immediate administrative intervention to prevent the observance of the rituals on dates not sanctioned by tradition and scriptures.
In the letter, the temple administration emphasised that the proposed celebrations do not conform to the traditional Hindu calendar or the long-standing customs observed at the Jagannath Mandir in Puri. According to the official temple calendar for 2026, Netrotsav will be observed on July 14, while the world-famous Rath Yatra will be held on July 16. These dates, the SJTA clarified, have been determined as per age-old rituals and scriptural calculations associated with Bhagwan Jagannath.
The Chief Administrator further stated that the temple’s Managing Committee, headed by the Gajapati Maharaja of Puri, has consistently opposed any premature or unsanctioned observance of Rath Yatra and related rituals. The committee has previously passed formal resolutions stressing that the festivals should only be celebrated on the prescribed Tithis and according to established temple traditions.
Officials of the SJTA also expressed concern that conducting the rituals ahead of the designated dates could create confusion among devotees and undermine the sanctity and authenticity of one of India’s most revered religious traditions.
“In view of the above, I request your good office to kindly take appropriate steps to prevent the Bhagaban Shree Jagannatha Ratha Yatra Seva Samiti, Hapur, from conducting Netrotsav and Rath Yatra on the aforementioned dates,” Dr Padhee stated in his letter, urging authorities to ensure strict adherence to the scriptural traditions of the Puri Jagannath Mandir.
