Bhubaneswar: A meeting convened here to resolve a dispute over the conduct of “untimely” Rath Yatra abroad by ISKCON ended inconclusively Thursday, a senior official said.
The meeting held under the chairmanship of Gajapati Maharaja of Puri, Divya Singha Deb was attended by religious scholars of both ISKCON and the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA).
The participants discussed the impact of holding the “untimely” Rath Yatra that “hurt the religious sentiments of crores of Jagannath devotees”.
“The meeting was very cordial and we apprised our concerns to the ISKCON representatives and requested them to conduct Rath Yatra as per the schedule in Puri across the globe. However, no firm decision could be taken at the meeting,” SJTA chief administrator Arabinda Padhee told reporters.
ISKCON organisation team led by Mukunddas Ji Maharaj said, “The discussion was positive and I appreciate the king’s (Gajapati Maharaj) concern over the matter. He had earlier written to us twice to hold talks over the issue… We will take up the matter at the governing body commission of ISKCON.”
The meeting was held in the backdrop of ISKCON holding “untimely” Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath across the world over which the temple and the devotees have expressed concern.
The latest such Rath Yatra was planned by ISKCON in Houston in the US in November, 2024.
Padhee said that representatives of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) were told that Rath Yatra should be held between the second and tenth day of Shukla Paksha in Ashadha month of the Hindu calendar in accordance with scriptural guidelines.
The SJTA chief said that this year, Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath falls June 27 and the ISKCON has been requested to hold the chariot festival across the globe on the same date.
“We are optimistic that the ISKCON will respect the religious sentiments of the devotees,” he added.
