Puri: The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) has decided to write the state government with regard to the untimely organisation of Rath Yatra by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (Iskcon).
A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting of the temple administration here recently. Shree Jagannath Temple Managing Committee member Sachidanand Das presided over the meeting while many religious scholars, researchers and Srimandir servitors participated in the gathering, sources said.
The meeting expressed concern over untimely organisation of Rath Yatra by Iskcon and other religious outfits. Participating in the deliberation, many scholars claimed that the Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath in Puri is organised in the Hindu month of Asadha as per Skanda Purana and other religious scriptures.
The SJTA strictly follows all the traditions of the 12th century shrine while organising the annual Rath Yatra. However, some religious outfits have deviated from the Srimandir traditions by organising Rath Yatra untimely, they alleged.
Das cited Skanda Purana to oppose untimely organisation of Rath Yatra. Srimandir managing committee member Taluchha Nilakantha Mahapatra sought the intervention of Puri Shankaracharya Nischalanand Saraswati and Gajapati king Dibyasingha Deb into the issue.
Researcher Naresh Chandra Dash alleged that Iskcon has harmed the religious sentiments of the people by organising Rath Yatra untimely. “The Rath Yatra in Puri is organised in accordance with the religious texts. Any deviation from the religious texts and Srimandir traditions is highly regrettable,” he said.
As per a decision taken at the meeting, the SJTA will write to the state government to raise the issue with Iskcon and ask it to follow the traditions of Srimandir while organising Rath Yatra.
It is worth mentioning here that Iskcon had organised Rath Yatra in Mumbai on the occasion of Basanta Panchami, January 30. The idols of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra were taken out in a procession on a single chariot from Shivaji Park in Mumbai. Hundreds of devotees pulled the chariot on prominent routes covering Shiv Sena Bhawan, Portuguese Church, Gokhale Road and Prabhadevi.
The untimely Rath Yatra in Mumbai had invited sharp reactions from Srimandir servitors, religious scholars and researchers.
Srimandir managing committee member Ramchandra Das Mohapatra had urged the state government to formulate a law to prevent untimely Rath Yatra. Heritage expert Surendra Mishra had also criticised Iskcon over the issue.
Some voluntary outfits of the Holy City had also lodged FIRs against Iskcon with regard to the untimely organisation of Rath Yatra.
