Puri: Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb has formally written to both President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, appealing for their intervention regarding ISKCON organizing Snana Yatra and Ratha Yatra outside India on dates that he claims violate sacred scriptures and traditional customs of Lord Jagannath.
In separate letters dated 4th July 2026, the Maharaja expressed concern that ISKCON continues to perform these sacred festivals on “untimely” dates in various countries abroad. He stated that such events are hurting the religious sentiments of lakhs of devotees, especially from the Odia community, both in India and overseas.
The Gajapati Maharaja reminded the President and the Prime Minister that he had earlier submitted representations on this issue — to the Prime Minister on 24th October 2025 and to the President on 20th April 2026. He has attached copies of previous letters and a list of ISKCON’s upcoming ‘untimely’ yatras as annexures.
“Over the last couple of months, ISKCON has performed several untimely Snana-yatras and Ratha-yatras in various countries outside India and has scheduled to hold many more such untimely Yatras in the coming months. A list of some of these untimely Yatras are attached hereto as Annexure 3. In-spite of strong protests from Hindu (especially Odia) community both within India and abroad, ISKCON continues to organize untimely Snana-yatra and Ratha-yatra in various cities abroad on random dates throughout the year thereby hurting the religious sentiments of countless devotees around the world”, read the Gajapati’s letter to PM.
Despite repeated protests from the Hindu (particularly Odia) community, ISKCON is reportedly continuing to organize these festivals on random dates throughout the year, the letters noted.
The Maharaja also highlighted that the Shankaracharyas and Vaishnavacharyas — the highest religious authorities of Sanatana Vaidika Dharma — have clearly stated that these sacred festivals of Lord Jagannath should be observed only according to traditional scriptures and timings.
This dual appeal by the Gajapati Maharaja underscores the seriousness with which the traditional custodian of Lord Jagannath’s temple views the issue of preserving the sanctity and proper timing of the holy yatras.
This is the latest in a series of appeals by the Gajapati Maharaja to protect the sanctity and traditional timing of Lord Jagannath’s festivals.
