Bhubaneswar: Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingh Deb, the Adya Sevaka of Lord Jagannath and Chairman of the Shri Jagannath Temple Managing Committee, has expressed strong dissatisfaction in a letter to the Governing Body Commission (GBC) of ISKCON regarding the observance of Snana Yatra and Ratha Yatra at timings that deviate from traditional tithis.
In the letter, the Gajapati Maharaja has urged ISKCON to ensure that these sacred festivals are observed strictly according to the prescribed tithis across all its temples worldwide. He emphasised that according to Shri Jagannath culture, these yatras should be celebrated on the same tithi everywhere and that observance on any other date is not acceptable.
The Maharaja noted that Snana Yatra, commemorating the sacred manifestation day of Lord Jagannath, must be held only on Jyeshtha Purnima, which falls on 29 June 2026 this year. He pointed out that despite the GBC’s earlier commitment in October 2025 to observe Snana Yatra only on this tithi globally, many ISKCON temples outside India have continued to hold it on other dates.
Regarding Ratha Yatra, the Gajapati Maharaja requested that all celebrations be confined to the nine-day period beginning from Ashadha Shukla Paksha Dwitiya on 16 July 2026. He highlighted that while many programmes in India, such as those organised by ISKCON Ujjain, fall within this window, some scheduled events extend beyond it. He has called for strict adherence to the nine-day festival period everywhere.
The letter references previous correspondence, including communications sent in September and October 2025, along with scholarly opinions approved by the Shree Jagannath Temple Managing Committee and a recent statement from the Muktimandapa Pandita Sabha.
The Maharaja has appealed to the GBC to review and revise its 2025 decision to align fully with scriptural traditions and the guidance of highest religious authorities, including Shankaracharyas and Vaishnavacharyas.
He clarified that while adaptations in the manner of celebration are permissible based on time, place, and circumstance, altering the core tithi of these yatras is not. The letter underscores the importance of maintaining the sanctity and uniformity of Shri Jagannath’s festivals as per ancient tradition.
