Bhubaneswar: Renowned sand artist Padma Shri Sudarshan Pattnaik has appealed to ISKCON to respect the sacred tithi and traditions of Lord Jagannath’s Rath Yatra as observed at the Shree Jagannath Temple, Puri.
Speaking ahead of the world-famous Rath Yatra scheduled to begin on July 16, Pattnaik said people from across the world and from every section of society come to Puri for Mahaprabhu’s darshan.
“During this grand Rath Yatra of Mahaprabhu Jagannath, people from every class and every society come to seek his darshan because the Lord comes out of the temple just once a year… Extensive arrangements are being made by the administration so that all devotees can take back a good experience,” he said.
Raising concerns over ISKCON organizing Rath Yatras ahead of the Puri event, Pattnaik called it a “major blow” to religious sentiments. He cited the recent Rath Yatra held in Kenya as an example.
“All the facts were made known to ISKCON, but from ISKCON’s side, the message came that no further discussion would be held on this matter… This should have been discussed to find some way forward,” he added.
The SJTA had earlier called representatives of ISKCON for discussions on the issue.Pattnaik also urged ISKCON to refrain from holding a scheduled Rath Yatra on August 2 in Los Angeles.
In a post on X, he wrote: “With due respect, we humbly appeal to #ISKCON to honor the sacred tithi and traditions of Mahaprabhu Jagannath’s Ratha Yatra as prescribed by the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration, Puri. We also respectfully request the Consulate General of India in Los Angeles @CGILosAngeles to refrain from officially participating in celebrations that are not observed in accordance with the traditions of Jagannath temple Puri. Mahaprabhu’s sacred traditions are a priceless heritage and deserve to be preserved with the utmost reverence.
“The sand artist stressed that preserving the rituals and timings set by the 12th-century temple in Puri is essential to maintaining the sanctity of the festival.
