Puri: The authorities of the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration on Monday objected to an organisation in Uttar Pradesh’s Hapur planning to hold the ‘Netrostav’ ritual and the annual Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath ahead of the dates prescribed in the scriptures.
SJTA Chief Administrator Dr Arabinda Padhee, in a letter to the Hapur district magistrate, said the Bhagwan Sri Jagannath Rath Yatra Seva Samiti was preparing to organise the ‘Netrostav’ on June 13 and the Rath Yatra on June 14.
The temple administration stated that conducting the rituals before the dates fixed according to religious scriptures and tradition had hurt the sentiments of millions of Jagannath devotees across the world.
Padhee pointed out that this year’s ‘Netrostav’ and Rath Yatra at the Jagannath Temple would be observed on July 14 and July 16, respectively, in accordance with scriptural prescriptions.
He urged the Hapur district administration to take appropriate steps to prevent the untimely observance of the rituals, stating that such practices violate long-standing traditions and scriptural norms.
The SJTA, however, clarified that there would be no objection if the festivals were organised according to the “tithi” prescribed in the Hindu almanac.
Padhee said the temple managing committee, headed by Dibyasingha Deb, the titular king of Puri, had consistently opposed the practice of conducting Rath Yatra celebrations on dates not sanctioned by scriptures.
He said the managing committee had passed a resolution emphasising that the Rath Yatra should be observed only on the auspicious dates prescribed in the scriptures.
The SJTA chief administrator further stated that celebrating the ‘Netrostav’ and Rath Yatra on dates other than those fixed by tradition and scriptures could hurt the religious sentiments of devotees.
